LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


PS 


EDITH'S   EXCURSION    WITH   THE   ESQUIMAUX          Pag 


UNG  A  Y  A: 


A  TALE    OF   ESQUIMAUX-LAND. 


ROBERT    MICHAEL    BALLANTYKE, 

AUTHOR  OF  "HUDSON'S  BAY;  OR,  EVERY-DAT  LIFE  IN  THE  WILDS  OF  NORTH 

AMERICA;"  "SNOW-FLAKES  AND  SUN-BEAMS;  OR,  THE  YOUNG  FUR 

TRADERS;  ;I  "  THE  CORAL  ISLAND;  A  TALE  OF  THE  PACIFIC 

OCEAN,"   &C.,   &C. 


WITH   ILLUSTRATIONS    BY    THE    AUTHOR. 


BOSTON: 
PHILLIPS,    SAMPSON    AND    COMPANY. 

1859. 


RIVERSIDE,  CAMBRIDGE: 
PRINTED  BY  H.  0.  HOUGHIOX  ASD  COMPACT. 


PREFACE. 


rilHE  following  story  is  intended  to  illustrate 

-  one  of  the  many  phases  of  the  fur  trader's 
life  in  those  wild  regions  of  North  America 
which  surround  Hudson's  Bay. 

Most  of  its  major  incidents  are  facts, — fiction 
being  employed  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  weav 
ing  these  facts  into  a  readable  form. 

If  this  volume  should  chance  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  any  of  those  who  acted  a  part  in  the 
first  settlement  of  Ungava,  we  trust  that  they 
will  forgive  the  liberty  that  has  been  taken  with 
their  persons  and  adventures,  remembering  that 
transpositions,  modifications,  and  transformations, 
are  necessary  in  constructing  a  tale  out  of  the 
"  raw  material." 

We  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  to 
the  Leader  of  the  adventurous  band  our  grate 
ful  acknowledgments  for  his  kindness  in  placing 
at  our  disposal  the  groundwork  on  which  this 
story  has  been  reared. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  forest,  and  the  leaders  of  the  forlorn-hope — A  good  shot — 
A  consultation — An  ice-floe,  and  a  narrow  escape  in  a  small 
way, 11 

CHAPTER  II. 

Head-quarters — The  men — Disputation  and  uncertainty — New 
uses  for  the  skins  of  dead  boys ! — Mutinous  resolves,  .  .  17 

CHAPTER  III. 

Shows  how  Stanley  deigned  to  consult  with  womankind — The 
opinions  of  a  child  developed — Persuasion  fails — Example  tri 
umphs — The  first  volunteers  to  Ungava, 27 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Explanatory,  but  not  dry ! — Murderous  designs  thwarted  by 
vigorous  treatment — The  cattle  pay  for  it! — Preparations  for 
a  Jong,  long  voyage, 36 

CHAPTER  V. 

Ice  looks  unpropitious — The  start — An  important  member  of  the 
party  nearly  forgotten — Chimo, 44 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Character  partially  developed — Ducks  for  supper — A  threatened 
"nip" — Bundled  out  on  the  ice, 54 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Shows  how  the  party  made  themselves  at  home  in  the  bush — 
Talk  round  the  camp  fire — A  flash  of  temped — Turning  in,  .  61 


viii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Bryan's  adventure  with  a  polar  bear,  £c., 75 

CHAPTER  IX. 

A  storm  brewing — It  bursts  and  produces  consequences — The 
party  take  to  the  water  per  force — All  saved,  ....  87 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  sand-bank — Dismal  prospects — Consultations — Internal  ar 
rangements  exposed  and  detailed, 97 

CHAPTER   XI. 

Start  afresh — Superstitious  notions — The  whirlpool — The  interior 
— Fishing  in  the  old  way  on  new  ground,  and  what  came  of 
it — A  cold  bath — The  rescue — Saved — Deeper  and  deeper  into 
the  wilderness, 105 

CHAPTER   XII. 

A  new  scene — The  Esquimaux — Deer  slaying — Enemies  in  the 
bush, 126 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Savage  love — A  wife  purchased — The  attack — The  flight — The 
escape — The  wounded  man, 133 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  pursuit — Seal-spearing — The  giant's  despair,        .        .        .     143 

CHAPTER    XV. 

End  of  the  voyage — Plans  and  prospects — Exploring  parties  sent 
out, 150 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Resources  of  the  country  begin  to  develop — Bryan  distinguishes 
himself — Fishing  extraordinary, 101 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Successes  and  encouragement — Bryan  lost  and  found,         .        .     175 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Outpost-building — Fort  Chimo — An  unexpected  arrival,  which 
causes  much  joy, 187 


CONTENTS.  ix 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Bustle  and  business — A  great  feast,  in  which' Bryan  and  La  Roche 
are  prime  movers — New  ideas  in  the  art  of  cooking,  .  .  196 

CHAPTER   XX. 

Winter  approaches — Esquimaux  arrive — Effect  of  a  word — A 
sucking  baby — Prospects  of  trade, 209 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

Silent  conversation — Raw  food — Female  tails — A  terrible  battle 
terminated  by  the  interposition  of  a  giant,  ....  219 

CHAPTER   XXII. 

Maximus — Deer-spearing — A  surprisingly  bad  shot — Character 
of  the  natives, 227 

CHAPTER   XXIII. 

More  arrivals — Honesty — Indians  come  upon  the  scene — The 
tribes  reconciled — Disease  and  death  change  the  aspect  of 
things — Philosophic  discourse, 238 

CHAPTER   XXIV. 

Effect  of  snow  on  the  feelings,  not  to  mention  the  landscape — A 
wonderful  dome  of  ice, 250 

•  CHAPTER   XXV. 

Buried  alive — But  not  killed — The  giant  in  the  snow-storm,        ..    260 

CHAPTER   XXVI. 

An  excursion — Igloe  building,  and  fishing  under  the  ice — A  snow 
table  and  a  good  feast — Edith  spends  the  night  under  a  snow 
roof  for  the  first  but  not  the  last  time, 273 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 

Frank  Morton  gets  into  difficulties, 284 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 
Edith  becomes  a  heroine  indeed, 297 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

A  dark  cloud  of  sorrow  envelops  Fort  Chimo,     .        .        .        .306 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

An  old  friend  amid  new  friends  and  novelties — A  desperate  battle 
and  a  glorious  victory, 314 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Another  desperate  battle,  and  a  decided  victory — The  Esquimaux 
suffer  a  severe  loss,  332 

CHAPTER   XXXII. 

Edith  waxes  melancholy,  but  her  sadness  is  suddenly  turned  into 
joy;  and  the  Esquimaux  receive  a  surprise,  and  find  a  friend, 
and  lose  one, 342 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

The  clouds  are  broken,  the  sun  bursts  through,  and  once  more 
irradiates  Fort  Chimo — Hopes  and  fears  for  Maximus,  .  .  353 

,  CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Rough  and  tumble — A  polar  bear  made  useful — Fishing    and 
floundering  and  narrow   escapes — An  unexpected  discovery,  • 
productive  of  mingled  perplexity  and  joy,       ....    358 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
A  stirring  period  in  the  life  of  Maximus, 375 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Happy  meetings  and  joyous  feastings — Love,  marriage,  desertion, 
desolation,  and  conclusion, 391 


UNGA  V  A. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  FOREST,  AND  THE  LEADERS  OF  THE  FORLORN-HOPE— A  GOOD 
SHOT— A  CONSULTATION— AN  ICE-FLOE,  AND  A  NARROW  ESCAPE 
IN  A  SMALL  WAY. 


HALLO!   where  are  you?"   shouted  a   voice   that 
rang  through   the  glades    of   the  forest    like   the 
blast  of  a  silver  trumpet,  testifying  to  lungs  of  leather 
and  a  throat  of  brass. 

The  ringing  tones  died  away,  and  nought  was  heard 
save  the  rustling  of  the  leafy  canopy  overhead,  as  the 
young  man,  whose  shout  had  thus  rudely  disturbed  the 
surrounding  echoes,  leaned  on  the  muzzle  of  a  long  rifle, 
and  stood  motionless  as  a  statue,  his  right  foot  resting 
on  the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree  and  his  head  bent' slightly  to 
one  side,  as  if  listening  for  a  reply.  But  no  reply  came. 
A  squirrel  ran  down  the  trunk  of  a  neighboring  pine, 
and  paused,  with  tail  and  ears  ergct,  and  its  little  black 
eyes  glittering  as  if  with  surprise  at  the  temerity  of  him 
who  so  recklessly  dared  to  intrude  upon  and  desecrate 
with  his  powerful  voice  the  deep  solitudes  of  the  wilder 
ness.  They  stood  so  long  thus  that  it  seemed  as  though 
the  little  animal  and  the  man  had  been  petrified  by  the 
unwonted  sound.  If  so,  the  spell  was  quickly  broken. 


12  UNGAVA. 

The  loud  report  of  a  fowling-piece  was  heard  at  a  short 
distance.  The  squirrel  incontinently  disappeared  from 
the  spot  on  which  it  stood,  and  almost  instantaneously 
reappeared  on  the  topmost  branch  of  a  high  tree,  while 
the  young  man  gave  a  smile  of  satisfaction,  threw  the 
rifle  over  his  shoulder,  and,  turning  round,  strode  rapidly 
away  in  the  direction  whence  the  shot  proceeded. 

A  few  minutes'  walk  brought  him  to  the  banks  of  a 
little  brook,  by  the  side  of  which,  on  the  projecting  root 
of  a  tree,  sat  a  man,  with  a  dead  goose  at  his  feet  and  a 
fowling-piece  by  his  side.  lie  was  dressed  in  the  garb 
of  a  hunter ;  and,  from  the  number  of  gray  hairs  that 
shone  like  threads  of  silver  among  the  black  curls  on  his 
temples,  he  was  evidently  past  the  meridian  of  life, — 
although,  from  the  upright  bearing  of  his  tall  muscular 
frame,  and  the  quick  glance  of  his  fearless  black  eye,  it 
was  equally  evident  that  the  vigor  of  his  youth  was  not 
yet  abated. 

"  Why,  Stanley,"  exclaimed  the  young  man  as  he  ap 
proached,  "  I've  been  shouting  till  my  throat  is  cracked, 
for  at  least  half  an  hour.  I  verily  began  to  think  that 
you  had  forsaken  me  altogether." 

"  In  which  case,  Frank,"  replied  the  other,  "  I  should 
have  treated  you  as  you  deserve,  for  your  empty  game- 
bag  proves  you  an  unworthy  comrade  in  the  chase." 

"  So,  so,  friend  ;  do  not  boast,"  replied  the  youth  with 
a  smile  ;  "  if  I  mistake  not,  that  goose  was  winging  its 
way  to  the  far  north  not  ten  minutes  agone.  Had  I 
come  up  half  an  hour  sooner,  I  suspect  we  should  have 
met  on  equal  terms  ;  but  the  fact  is,  that  I  have  not  seen 
hair  or  feather,  save  a  tree-squirrel,  since  I  left  you  in 
the  morning." 

"  "Well,  to  say  truth,  I  was  equally  unfortunate  until 


UNGAVA.  13 

I  met  this  luckless  goose,  and  fired  the  shot  that  brought 
him  down  and  brought  you  up.  But  I've  had  enough 
o'  this  now,  and  shall  back  to  the  fort  again.  What  say 
you, — will  you  go  in  my  canoe  or  walk  ?  " 

The  young  man  was  silent  for  a  few  seconds ;  then, 
without  replying  to  his  companion's  question,  he  said: 

"  By  the  by,  is  it  not  to-night  that  you  mean  to  make 
another  attempt  to  induce  the  men  to  volunteer  for  the 
expedition  ?  " 

"  It  is,"  replied  Stanley,  with  a  slight  frown. 

"  And  what  if  they  still  persist  in  refusing  to  go  ?  " 

"  I'll  try  once  more  to  shame  them  out  of  their  cow 
ardice.  But  if  they  won't  agree,  I'll  compel  them  to  go 
by  means  of  more  powerful  arguments  than  words." 

"  'Tis  not  cowardice  ;  you  do  the  men  injustice,"  said 
Frank,  shaking  his  head. 

"  Well,  well,  I  believe  I  do,  lad  ;  you're  right,"  replied 
Stanley,  while  a  smile  smoothed  out  the  firm  lines  that 
had  gathered  round  his  lips  for  a  few  seconds.  "  No 
doubt,  they  care  as  little  for  the  anticipated  dangers  of 
the  expedition  as  any  men  living,  and  they  hesitate  to  go 
simply  because  they  know  that  the  life  before  them  will 
be  a  lonely  one  at  such  an  out-o'-the-way  place  as  Un- 
gava.  But  we  can't  help  that,  Frank  ;  the  interests  of 
the  Company  must  be  attended  to,  and  so  go  they  must, 
willing  or  not  willing.  But  I'm  annoyed  at  this  unex 
pected  difficulty,  for  there's  a  mighty  difference  between 
men  who  volunteer  to  go  and  men  who  go  merely  be 
cause  they  must  and  can't  help  it." 

The  young  man  slowly  rubbed  the  stock  of  his  rifle 
with  the  sleeve  of  his  coat,  and  looked  as  if  he  under 
stood  and  sympathized  with  his  friend's  chagrin. 

"  If  Prince  were  only  here  just  now,"  said  he,  looking 


14  UNGAVA. 

up,  "  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  the  matter.  These 
fellows  only  want  a  bold,  hearty  comrade  to  step  forward 
and  show  them  the  way,  and  they  will  follow  to  the 
North  Pole  if  need  be.  They  look  upon  our  willingness 
to  go  as  a  mere  matter  of  course,  though  I  don't  see  why 
we  should  be  expected  to  like  banishment  more  than 
themselves.  But  if  Prince  were — " 

"  Well,  well,  Prince  is  not  here,  so  we  must  do  the 
best  we  can  without  him,"  said  Stanley. 

As  he  spoke,  the  trumpet  note  of  a  goose  was  heard 
in  the  distance. 

"  There  he  goes ! — down  with  you,"  exclaimed  Frank, 
darting  suddenly  behind  the  stump  of  the  tree,  while  his 
companion  crouched  beside  him,  and  both  began  to  shout 
at  the  top  of  their  voices  in  imitation  of  the  goose.  The 
bird  was  foolish  enough  to  accept  the  invitation  immedi 
ately,  although,  had  it  been  other  than  a  goose,  it  would 
have  easily  recognized  the  sound  as  a  wretched  counter 
feit  of  the  goose  language.  It  flew  directly  towards 
them,  as  geese  always  do  in  spring  when  thus  enticed,  but 
passed  at  such  a  distance  that  the  elder  sportsman  was 
induced  to  lower  his  piece. 

"Ah  !  he's  too  far  off.  You'd  better  give  him  a  shot 
with  the  rifle,  Frank  ;  but  you're  sure  to  miss." 

"  To  hit,  you  mean,"  cried  his  companion,  flushing  with 
momentai-y  indignation  at  this  disparaging  remark.  At 
the  same  moment  he  took  a  rapid  aim  and  fired.  For  a 
few  yards  the  goose  continued  its  forward  flight  as  if 
unhurt ;  then  it  wavered  once  or  twice,  and  fell  heavily 
to  the  ground. 

"  Bravo,  boy  !  "  cried  Stanley.  "  There,  don't  look 
nettled  ;  I  only  jested  with  you,  knowing  your  weak 
ness  on  the  score  of  rifle  shooting.  Now,  pick  up 


UNGAVA.  15 

your  bird,  and  throw  it  into  the  canoe,  for  I  must 
away." 

Frank  finished  reloading  his  piece  as  his  friend  spoke, 
and  went  to  pick  up  the  goose,  while  the  other  walked 
down  to  the  edge  of  the  rivulet,  and  disengaged  a  light 
birch-bark  canoe  from  the  long  grass  and  sedges  that 
almost  hid  it  from  view. 

"Make  haste,  Frank,"  he  shouted;  "there's  the  ice 
coming  up  with  the  flood-tide,  and  bearing  down  on  the 
creek  here."1 

At  a  short  distance  from  the  spot  where  the  sports 
men  stood,  the  streamlet  already  alluded  to  mingled  its 
waters  with  a  broad  river,  which,  a  few  miles  farther 
down,  flows  into  James's  Bay.  As  every  one  knows, 
this  bay  lies  to  the  south  of  Hudson's  Bay,  in  North 
America.  Here  the  river  is  about  two  miles  wide  ;  and, 
the  shores  on  either  side  being  low,  it  has  all  the  appear 
ance  of  an  extensive  lake.  In  spring,  after  the  disrup 
tion  of  the  ice,  its  waters  are  loaded  with  large  floes  and 
fields  of  ice  ;  and,  later  in  the  season,  after  it  has  become 
quite  free  from  this  wintry  encumbrance,  numerous  de 
tached  masses  come  up  with  every  flood-tide.  It  was  the 
approach  of  one  of  these  floes  that  called  forth  Stanley's 
remark. 

The  young  man  replied  to  it  by  springing  towards 
the  canoe,  in  which  his  companion  was  already  seated.. 
Throwing  the  dead  bird  into  it,  he  stooped,  and  gave  the 
light  bark  a  powerful  shove  into  the  stream,  exclaiming,, 
as  he  did  so,  "  There,  strike  out,  you've  no  time  to  lose,, 
and  I'll  go  round  by  the  woods." 

There  was,  indeed,  no  time  to  lose.  The  huge  mass 
of  ice  was  closing  rapidly  into  the  mouth  of  the  creek,, 
and  narrowing  the  only  passage  through  which  the  canoe- 


1 6  UXGAVA. 

could  escape  into  the  open  water  of  the  river  beyond. 
Stanley  might,  indeed,  drag  his  canoe  up  the  bank,  if  so 
disposed,  and  reach  home  by  a  circuitous  walk  through 
the  woods ;  but  by  doing  so  he  would  lose  much  time,  and 
be  under  the  necessity  of  carrying  his  gun,  blanket,  tin- 
kettle,  and  the  goose,  on  his  back.  His  broad  shoulders 
were  admirably  adapted  for  such  a  burden,  but  he  pre 
ferred  the  canoe  to  the  woods  on  the  present  occasion. 
Besides,  the  only  risk  he  ran  was  that  of  getting  his 
canoe  crushed  to  pieces.'  So,  plunging  his  paddle  vigor 
ously  in  the  water,  he  shot  through  the  lessening  channel 
like  an  arrow,  and  swept  out  on  the  bosom  of  the  broad 
river  just  as  the  ice  closed  with  a  crash  upon  the  shore, 
and  ground  itself  to  powder  on  the  rocks. 

"  Well  done  !  "  shouted  Frank,  with  a  wave  of  his  cap, 
as  he  witnessed  the  success  of  his  friend's  exploit. 

"All  right,"  replied  Stanley,  glancing  over  his  shoul 
der. 

In  another  moment  the  canoe  disappeared  behind  a 
group  of  willows  that  grew  on  the  point  at  the  river's 
mouth,  and  the  young  man  was  left  alone.  For  a  few 
minutes  he  stood  contemplating  the  point  behind  which 
Lis  companion  had  disappeared ;  then,  giving  a  hasfy 
glance  at  the  priming  of  his  rifle,  he  threw  it  across  his 
shoulder,  and,  striding  rapidly  up  the  bank,  was  soon  lost 
io  view  amid  the  luxuriant  undergrowth  of  the  forest. 


UNGAVA.  17 


CHAPTER   II. 

HEAD-QUARTERS— THE  MEN— DISPUTATION  AND  UNCERTAINTY— 
NE\V  USES  FOR  THE  SKINS  OF  DEAD  BOYS  I—MUTINOUS  RE 
SOLVES. 

MOOSE  FORT,  the  head-quarters  and  depot  of  the 
fur  traders,  who  prosecute  their  traffic  in  almost 
all  parts  of  the  wild  and  uninhabited  regions  of  North 
America,  stands  on  an  island  near  the  mouth  of  Moose 
River.  Like  all  the  establishments  of  the  fur  traders,  it 
is  a  solitary  group  of  wooden  buildings,  far  removed 
beyond  the  influences, — almost  beyond  the  ken, — of  the 
civilized  world,  and  surrounded  by  the  primeval  wilder 
ness,  the  only  tenants  of  which  were,  at  the  time  we 
write  of,  a  few  scattered  tribes  of  Muskigon  Indians,  and 
the  wild  animals  whose  flesh  furnished  them  with  food, 
and  whose  skins  constituted  their  sole  wealth.  There 
was  little  of  luxury  at  Moose  Fort.  The  walls  of  the 
houses  within  the  stockade,  that  served  more  as  an  orna 
ment  than  a  defence,  were  of  painted,  in  some  cases  un- 
painted,  planks.  The  floors,  ceilings,  chairs,  tables,  and, 
in  short,  all  the  articles  of  furnitui'e  in  the  place  were 
made  of  the  same  rough  material.  A  lofty  scaffolding  of 
wood  rose  above  the  surrounding  buildings,  and  served 
as  an  outlook,  whence,  at  the  proper  season,  longing  eyes 
were  wont  to  be  turned  towards  the  sea  in  expectation  of 
"  the  ship  "  which  paid  the  establishment  an  annual  visit 
from  England.  Several  large  iron  field-pieces  stood  be- 
2 


18  UXGAVA 

fore  the  front  gate,  but  they  were  more  for  the  sake  of 
appearance  than  use,  and  were  never  fired  except  for  the 
purpose  of  saluting  the  said  ship  on  the  occasions  of  her 
arrival  and  departure.  The  first  boom  of  the  cannon 
unlocks  the  long  closed  portals  of  connection  between 
Moose  Fort  and  England ;  the  second  salvo  shuts  them 
up  again  in  their  frozen  domains  for  another  year  !  A 
century  and  a  half  ago  the  band  of  "  adventurers  trad 
ing  into  Hudson's  Bay,"  felled  the  first  trees  and  pitched 
their  tents  on  the  shores  of  James's  Bay,  and  successive 
generations  of  fur  traders  have  kept  the  post  until  the 
present  day ;  yet  there  is  scarcely  a  symptom  of  the 
presence  of  man  beyond  a  few  miles  round  the  establish 
ment.  Years  ago  the  fort  was  built,  and  there  it  stands 
now,  with  new  tenants  it  is  true,  but  in  its  general  aspect 
unchanged ;  and  there  it  is  likely  to  remain,  wrapt  in 
its  barrier  of  all  but  impregnable  solitude,  for  centuries 
to  come. 

Nevertheless,  Moose  is  a  comfortable  place  in  its  way, 
and  when  contrasted  with  other  trading  establishments  is 
a  very  palace  and  temple  of  luxury  !  There  are  men 
within  its  walls  "who  can  tell  of  log-huts  and  starvation, 
solitude  and  desolation,  compared  with  which  Moose  is  a 
terrestrial  paradise.  Frank  Morton,  whom  we  have  in 
troduced  in  the  first  chapter,  said,  on  his  arrival  at  Moose, 
that  it  appeared  to  him  to  be  the  very  fag-end  of  creation. 
He  had  travelled  night  and  day  for  six  weeks  from  what  he 
considered  the  very  outskirts  of  civilization,  through  un 
inhabited  forests  and  almost  unknown  rivers,  in  order  to 
get  to  it,  and  while  the  feeling  of  desolation  that  over 
whelmed  him  on  his  first  arrival  was  strong  upon  him,  he 
sighed  deeply,  and  called  it  a  "  horrid  dull  hole."  But 
Frank  was  of  a  gay,  hearty,  joyous  disposition,  and  had  not 


UXGAVA.  19 

been  there  long  ere  he  loved  the  old  fort  dearly.  Poor 
fellow  !  far  removed  though  he  was  from  his  fellow-men 
at  Moose,  he  afterwards  learned  that  he  had  but  ob 
tained  an  indistinct  notion  of  the  signification  of  the  word 
solitude. 

There  were  probably  about  thirty  human  beings  at 
Moose,  when  Mr.  George  Stanley,  one  of  the  principal 
fur  traders  of  the  place,  received  orders  from  the  gov 
ernor  to  make  preparations,  and  select  men,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  proceeding  many  hundred  miles  deeper  into  the 
northern  wilderness,  and  establishing  a  station  on  the  dis 
tant,  almost  unknown,  shores  of  Ungava  Bay.  Xo  one 
at  Moose  had  ever  been  there  before ;  no  one  knew  any 
thing  about  the  route,  except  from  the  vague  report  of  a 
few  Indians  ;  and  the  only  thing  that  was  definitely  known 
about  the  locality  at  all  was,  that  its  inhabitants  were  a 
few  wandering  tribes  of  Esquimaux,  who  were  at  deadly 
feud  with  the  Indians,  and  generally  massacred  all  who 
came  within  their  reach.  What  the  capabilities  of  the 
country  were,  in  regard  to  timber  and  provisions,  nobody- 
knew  ;  and,  fortunately  for  the  success  of  the  expedition, 
nobody  cared !  At  least  those  who  were  to  lead  the  way 
did  not ;  and  this  admirable  quality  of  total  indifference 
to  prospective  dangers  is  that  which,  to  a  great  extent, 
insures  success  in  a  forlorn-hope. 

Of  the  leaders  of  this  expedition  the  reader  already 
knows  something.  George  Stanley  was  nearly  six  feet 
high,  forty  years  of  age,  and  endued  with  a  decision  of 
character  that,  but  for  his  quiet  good  humor,  would  have 
been  deemed  obstinacy.  He  was  deliberate  in  all  his  move 
ments,  and  exercised  a  control  over  his  feelings  that  quite 
concealed  his  naturally  enthusiastic  disposition.  More 
over,  he  was  married,  and  had  a  daughter  of  ten  years  of 


20  UNGAVA. 

age.  This  might  be  thought  a  disadvantage  in  his  pres 
ent  circumstances  ;  but  the  governor  of  the  fur  traders, — 
a  most  energetic  and  active  ruler, — thought  otherwise. 
He  recommended  that  the  family  should  be  left  at  Moose 
until  an  establishment  had  been  built,  and  a  winter  passed 
at  Ungava.  Afterwards  they  could  join  him  there.  As 
for  Frank  Morton,  he  was  an  inch  taller  than  his  friend 
Stanley,  and  equally  powerful ;  fair  haired,  blue  eyed, 
hilarious,  romantic,  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  so  im 
pulsive  that,  on  hearing  of  the  proposed  ^expedition  from 
one  of  his  comi'ades,  who  happened  to  be  present  when 
Stanley  was  reading  the  despatches,  he  sprang  from  his 
chair,  which  he  upset, — dashed  out  at  the  door,  which  he 
banged, — and  hurried  to  his  friend's  quarters  in  order  to 
be  first  to  volunteer  his  services  as  second  in  command  ; 
which  offer  was  rendered  unnecessary  by  Stanley's  ex 
claiming,  the  moment  he  entered  his  room, — 

"  Ha,  Frank,  my  lad,  the  very  man  I  wanted  to  see ! 
Here's  a  letter  from  head-quarters  ordering  me  off  on  an 
expedition  to  Uugava.  Now,  I  want  volunteers ;  will 
you  go?" 

It  is  needless  to  add  that  Frank's  blue  eyes  sparkled 
with  animation  as  he  seized  his  friend's  hand  and  re 
plied,  "  To  the  North  Pole  if  you  like,  or  farther  if 
need  be  ! " 

It  was  evening.  The  sun  was  gilding  the  top  of  the 
flagstaff  with  a  parting  kiss,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Moose 
Fort,  having  finished  their  daily  toil,  were  making  prep 
arations  for  their  evening  meal.  On  the  end  of  the 
wharf  that  jutted  out  into  the  stream  was  assembled  a 
picturesque  group  of  men,  who,  from  the  earnest  manner 
in  which  they  conversed,  and  the  energy  of  their  gesticu 
lations,  were  evidently  discussing  a  subject  of  more  than 


UNGAVA.  21 

ordinary  interest.  Most  of  them  were  clad  in  corduroy 
trousers,  gartered  below  the  knee  with  thongs  of  deer 
skin,  and  coarse  striped  cotton  shirts,  open  at  the  neck  so 
as  to  expose  their  sunburnt  breasts.  A  few  wore  caps 
which,  whatever  might  have  been  their  original  form, 
were  now  so  much  soiled  and  battered  out  of  shape  by 
long  and  severe  service,  that  they  were  nondescript ; 
but  most  of  these  hardy  backwoodsmen  were  content 
with  the  covering  afforded  by  their  thick  bushy  locks. 

"  No,  no,"  exclaimed  a  short,  thickset,  powerful  man, 
with  a  somewhat  ascetic  cast  of  countenance,  "  I've  seen 
more  than  enough  o'  these  rascally  Huskies.*  'Tis  well 
for  me  that  I'm  here  this  blessed  day,  an'  not  made  into 
a  dan  to  bob  about  in  Hudson's  Straits  at  the  tail  of  a 
white  whale,  like  that  poor  boy  Peter  who  was  shot  by 
them  varmints." 

"  What's  a  dan  ?  "  asked  a  young  half-breed  who  had 
lately  arrived  at  Moose,  and  knew  little  of  Esquimaux 
implements. 

"  What  a  greenhorn  you  must  be,  Francois,  not  to 
know  what  a  dan  is,"  replied  another,  who  was  inclined 
to  be  quizzical.  "  Why,  it's  a  sort  of  sea  carriage  that* 
the  Esquimaux  tie  to  the  tail  of  a  walrus  or  sea  horse 
when  they  feel  inclined  for  a  drive.  When  they  can't 
get  a  sea  horse  they  catch  a  white  whale  asleep,  and  wake 
him  up  after  fastening  the  dan  to  his  tail.  I  suppose  they 
have  conjurers  or  wizards  among  them,  since  Massan  told 
us  just  now  that  poor  Peter  was —  " 

"  Bah  !  gammon,"  interrupted  Francois  with  a  smile, 
as  he  turned  to  the  first  speaker.  "  But  tell  me,  Massan, 
what  is  a  dan  ?  " 

"  It's  a  sort  o'  float  or  buoy,  lad,  used  by  the  Huskies, 
*  Esquimaux. 


22  UNGAVA. 

and  is  made  out  o'  the  skin  o'  the  seal.  They  tie  it  with 
a  long  line  to  their  whale  spears  to  show  which  way  the 
fish  bolts  when  struck." 

"  And  did  they  use  Peter's  skin  for  such  a  purpose  ?  " 
inquired  Francois,  earnestly. 

"  They  did,"  replied  Massan. 

"  And  did  you  see  them  do  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  did." 

Francois  gazed  intently  into  his  comrade's  face  as  he 
spoke,  but  Massan  was  an  adept  at  what  is  usually  called 
drawing  the  long  bow,  and  it  was  with  the  most  imper 
turbable  gravity  that  he  continued — "  yes,  I  saw  them  do 
it ;  but  I  could  not  render  any  assistance  to  the  poor 
child,  for  I  was  lying  close  behind  a  rock  at  the  time, 
with  an  arrow  sticking  between  my  shoulders,  and  a  score 
o'  them  oily  varmints  a  shoutin',  and  yellin',  and  flourish 
ing  their  spears  in  search  o'  me." 

"Tell  us  how  it  happened,  Massau.  Let's  hear  the 
story,"  chorused  the  men  as  they  closed  round  their 
comrade. 

"  Well  then,"  began  the  stout  backwoodsman,  proceed 
ing  leisurely  to  fill  his  pipe  from  an  ornamented  bag  that 
hung  at  his  belt,  "  here  goes :  It  was  about  the  year — a 
— I  forget  the  year,  but  it  don't  matter — that  we  were  or 
dered  off  on  an  expedition  to  the  Huskies ;  'xactly  sich  a 
one  as  they  wants  us  to  go  on  now,  and, — but  you've 
heerd  o'  that  business,  lads,  haven't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  we've  heard  all  about  it,  go  on." 

"  Well,"  continued  Massan,  "I  needn't  be  wastin'  time 
tellin'  you  howr  AVC  failed  in  that  affair,  and  how  the  Hus 
kies  killed  some  of  our  men  and  burnt  our  ship  to  the 
water's  edge.  After  it  was  all  over,  and  they  thought 
they  had  killed  us  all,  I  was,  as  I  said,  lyin'  behind  a 


UXGAYA.  23 

great  rock  in  a  sort  o'  cave,  lookin'  at  the  dirty  villains  as 
they  danced  about  on  the  shore,  and  took  possession  of 
all  our  goods.  Suddenly  I  seed  two  o'  them  carry  Peter 
down  to  the  beach,  an'  I  saw,  as  they  passed  me,  that  he 
was  quite  dead.  In  less  time  than  I  can  count  a  hundred, 
they  took  the  skin  off  him,  cut  off  his  head,  sewed  up  the 
hole,  tied  his  arms  and  legs  in  a  knot,  blew  him  full  o' 
wind  till  he  was  fit  to  bu'st,  an'  then  hung  him  up  to  dry 
in  the  sun  !  In  fact  they  made  a  dan  of  him !  " 

A  loud  shout  of  laughter  greeted  this  startling  con 
clusion.  In  truth,  we  must  "do  Massan  the  justice  to  say, 
that  although  he  was  much  in  the  habit  of  amusing  his 
companions  by  entertaining  them  with  anecdotes  which 
originated  entirely  in  his  own  teeming  fancy,  he  never 
actually  deceived  them,  but  invariably,  either  by  a  sly 
glance  or  by  the  astounding  nature  of  his  communica 
tion,  £ave  them  to  understand  that  he  was  dealing  not 
with  fact  but  fiction. 

"  But  seriously,  lads,"  said  Francois,  whose  intelli 
gence,  added  to  a  grave,  manly  countenance,  and  a  tall, 
muscular  frame,  caused  him  to  be  regarded  by  his  com 
rades  as  a  sort  of  leader,  both  in  action  and  in  council ; 
"  what  do  you  think  of  our  bourgeois'  plan  ?  For  my 
part,  I'm  willing  enough  to  go  to  any  reasonable  part  o' 
the  country  where  there  are  furs  and  Indians ;  but  as  for 
this  Ungava,  from  what  Massan  says,  there's  neither  In 
dians,  nor  furs,  nor  victuals, — nothin'  but  rocks  and  moun 
tains,  and  etarnal  winter ;  and  if  we  do  get  the  Huskies 
about  us,  they'll  very  likely  serve  us  as  they  did  the  last 
expedition  to  Richmond  Gulf." 

"  Ay,  ay,"  cried  one  of  the  others,  "  you  may  say  that, 
Francois.  Nothin'  but  frost  and  starvation,  and  nobody 
to  bury  us  when  we're  dead." 


24  UNGAVA. 

"  Except  the  Huskies,"  broke  in  another,  "  who  would 
save  themselves  the  trouble  by  converting  us  all  into  clans !" 

"Tush,  man,  stop  your  clapper,"  cried  Francois,  im 
patiently  ;  "  let  us  settle  this  business.  You  know  that 
Monsieur  Stanley  said  he  would  expect  us  to  be  ready 
with  an  answer  to-night.  What  think  you  Gaspard,  shall 
we  go,  or  shall  we  mutiny?  " 

The  individual  addressed  was  a  fine  specimen  of  an 
animal,  but  not  by  any  means  a  good  specimen  of  a  man. 
He  was  of  gigantic  proportions,  straight  and  tall  as  a 
poplar,  and  endowed  with  th'e  strength  of  an  Hercules. 
His  glittering  dark  eyes  and  long  black  hair,  together 
with  the  hue  of  his  skin,  bespoke  him  of  half-breed  ex 
traction.  But  his  countenance  did  not  correspond  to  his 
fine  physical  proportions.  True,  his  features,  were  good, 
but  they  wore  habitually  a  scowling,  sulky  expression, 
even  when  the  man  was  pleased,  and  there  was  more  of 
sarcasm  than  jovialty  in  the  sound  when  Gaspard  conde 
scended  to  laugh. 

"  I'll  be  shot  if  I  go  to  such  a  hole  for  the  best 
bourgeois  in  the  country,"  said  he  in  reply  to  Francois's 
question. 

"  You'll  be  dismissed  the  service  if  you  don't,"  re 
marked  Massan  with  a  smile. 

To  this  Gaspard  vouchsafed  no  reply  save  a  growl  that, 
to  say  the  best  of  it,  did  not  sound  amiable. 

"  Well,  I  think  that  we're  all  pretty  much  of  one 
mind  on  the  point,"  continued  Francois ;  "  and  yet  I 
feel  half  ashamed  to  refuse  after  all,  especially  when  I 
see  the  good-will  with  which  Messieurs  Stanley  and 
Morton  agree  to  go." 

"  I  suppose  you  expect  to  be  a  bourgeois  too  some 
day,"  growled  Gaspard  with  a  sneer. 


UXGAVA.  25 

"  Eh,  tu  gros  cliicn  ?  "  cried  Francois,  as  with  flashing 
eyes  and  clenched  fists  he  strode  up  to  his  ill-tempered 
comrade. 

"  Coine,  come,  Francois,  don't'  quarrel  for  nothing," 
said  Massan,  interposing  his  broad  shoulders  and  pushing 
him  vigorously  back. 

At  that  moment  an  exclamation  from  one  of  the  men 
diverted  the  attention  of  the  others. 

';  Voila  !  the  canoe." 

"  Ay,  it's  Monsieur  Stanley's  canoe.  I  saw  him  and 
Monsieur  Morton  start  for  the  swamp  this  morning." 

"  I  wonder  what  Dick  Prince  would  have  done  in  this 
business  had  he  been  here,"  said  Francois  to  Massan  in 
a  low  tone,  as  they  stood  watching  the  approach  of  their 
bourgeois's  canoe. 

"  Can't  say.     I  half  think  he  would  have  gone." 

"  There's  no  chance  of  him  coming  back  in  time,  I 
fear." 

"  None ;  unless  he  prevails  on  some  goose  to  lend  him 
a  pair  of  wings  for  a  day  or  two. .  He  won't  be  back 
from  the  hunt  for  three  weeks  good." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  the  canoe  skimmed  up  to  the 
wharf. 

"  Here,  lads,"  cried  Mr.  Stanley,  as  he  leaped  ashore 
and  dragged  the  canoe  out  of  the  water ;  "  one  of  you 
come  and  lift  this  canoe  up  the  bank,  and  take  these 
geese  to  the  kitchen." 

Two  of  the  men  instantly  hastened  to  obey,  and  Stan 
ley,  with  the  gun  and  paddles  under  his  arm,  proceeded 
towards  the  gateway  of  the  fort.  As  he  passed  the  group 
assembled  on  the  wharf,  he  turned  and  said, — 

"  You'll  conie  to  the  hall  in  an  hour,  lads  ;  I  shall 
expect  you  to  be  ready  with  an  answer  by  that  time." 


L>G  UNGAVA. 

'•  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  replied  several  of  the  men. 

"  But  we  wont  go  for  all  your  expectations,"  said  one 
in  an  under  tone  to  a  comrade. 

''I  should  think  not,*  whispered  another. 

"I'll  be  hanged,  and  burnt,  and  frozen  if  /do,"  said  a 
third. 

In  the  mean  time  Mr.  Stanley  walked  briskly  towards 
his  dwelling  and  left  the  men  to  grumble  over  their 
troubles  and  continue  their  debate  as  to  whether  they 
should,  or  should  not,  agree  to  go  on  the  pending  expedi 
tion  to  the  distant  regions  of  Unirava. 


UXGAVA.  27 


CHAPTER  III. 

SHOWS  HOW  STANLEY  DEIGNED  TO  CONSULT  WITH  WOMANKIND 
—THE  OPINIONS  OP  A  CHILD  DEVELOPED— PERSUASION  EAILS 
—EXAMPLE  TRIUMPHS— THE  FIRST  VOLUNTEERS  TO  UNGAA'A. 

ON  reaching  his  apartment,  which  was  in  an  angle  of 
the  principal  edifice  in  the  fort,  Mr.  Stanley  flung 
down  his  gun  and  paddles,  and  drawing  a  chair  close  to 
his  wife,  who  was  working  with  her  needle  near  a  window, 
took  her  hand  in  his  and  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

"  Why,  George,  that's  what  you  used  to  say  to  me 
when  you  were,  at  a  loss  for  words  in  the  days  of  our 
courtship." 

"  True,  Jessie,"  he  replied,  patting  her  shoulder  with  a 
hand  that  rough  service  had  rendered  hard,  and  long 
exposure  had  burnt  brown.  "  But  the  producing  cause 
then  was  different  from  what  it  is  now.  Then  it  was 
love  ;  now  it  is  perplexity." 

Stanley's  wife  was  the  daughter  of  English  parents, 
who  had  settled  many  years  ago  in  the  fur  countries. 
Being  quite  beyond  the  reach  of  any  school,  they  had 
been  obliged  to  undertake  the  instruction  of  their  only 
child,  Jessie,  as  they  best  could.  At  first  this  was  an 
easy  matter,  but  as  years  flew  by,  and  little  Jessie's  mind 
expanded,  it  was  found  to  be  a  difficult  matter  to  carry 
on  her  education  in  a  country  in  most  parts  of  which 
books  were  not  to  be  had,  and  schoolmasters  did  not 
exist.  When  the  difficulty  first  presented  itself,  they 
talked  of  sending  their  little  one  to  England  to  finish  her 


28  UXGAVA. 

education ;  but  being  unable  to  bring  themselves  to  part 
with  her,  they  resolved  to  have  a  choice  selection  of 
books  sent  out  to  them.  Jessie's  mother  was  a  clever, 
accomplished,  and  lady-like  woman,  and  decidedly  pious, 
so  that  the  little  flower,  which  was  indeed  born  to  blush 
unseen,  grew  up  to  be  a  gentle,  affectionate  woman — one 
who  was  a  lady  in  all  her  thoughts  and  actions,  yet  had 
never  seen  polite  society,  save  that  of  her  father  and 
mother.  In  process  of  time  Jessie  became  Mrs.  Stanley, 
and  the  mother  of  a  little  girl  whose  voice  was,  at  the 
time  her  father  entered,  ringing  cheerfully  in  an  adjoin 
ing  room.  Mrs.  Stanley's  nature  was  an  earnest  one, 
and  she  no  sooner  observed  that  her  husband  was  worried 
about  something,  than  she  instantly  dropt  the  light  tone 
in  which  she  at  first  addressed  him. 

"And  what  perplexes  you  now,  dear  jGeorge  ?  "  she 
said,  laying  down  her  work  and  looking  up  in  his  face 
with  that  straightforward,  earnest  gaze  that  in  days  of 
yore  had  set  the  stout  backwoodsman's  heart  on  fire  and 
still  kept  it  in  a  perennial  blaze. 

"  Nothing  very  serious,"  he  replied  with  a  smile;  "only 
these  fellows  have  taken  it  into  their  stupid  heads  that 
Ungava  is  worse  than  the  land  beyond  the  Styx — and 
so,  after  the  tough  battle  that  I  had  with  you  this 
morning  in  order  to  prevail  on  you  to  remain  here  for 
a  winter  without  me,  I've  had  to  fight  another  battle 
with  them  in  order  to  get  them  to  go  on  this  expedition." 

"  Have  you  been  victorious  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.   Stanley. 

"  No,  not  yet." 

"  Do  you  really  mean  to  say  they  are  afraid  to  go. 
Has  Prince  refused  ?  are  Francois,  Gaspard,  and  Mas- 
san  cowai'ds  ? "  she  inquired,  her  eye  kindling  with  in 
dignation. 


UNGAVA,  29 

"  Nay,  my  wife,  not  so.  These  men  are  not  cowards  ; 
nevertheless  they  don't  feel  inclined  to  go  ;  and  as  for 
Dick  Prince — he  has  been  off  hunting  for  a  week  and  I 
don't  expect  him  back  for  three  weeks  at  least,  by  which 
time  we  shall  be  off." 

Mrs.  Stanley  sighed,  as  if  she  felt  the  utter  helpless 
ness  of  woman  in  such  affairs. 

"  Why  Jessie,  that's  what  you  used  to  say  to  me  when 
you  were  at  a  loss  for  words  in  the  days  of  our  court 
ship,"  said  Stanley,  smiling. 

"Ah,  George,  like  you  I  may  say  that  the  cause  is  now 
perplexity — for  what  can  /  do  to  help  you  in  your  pres 
ent  difficulty  ?  " 

"  Truly  not  much.  But  I  like  to  tell  you  of  my 
troubles,  and  to  make  more  of  them  than  they  deserve, 
for  the  sake  of  drawing  forth  your  sympathy.  Bless 
your  heart ! "  he  said,  in  a  sudden  burst  of  enthusiasm, 
"  I  would  gladly  undergo  any  amount  of  trouble  every 
day,  if  by  so  doing  I  should  secure  that  earnest,  loving, 
anxious  gaze  of  your  sweet  blue  eyes  as  a  reward  ! " 
Stanley  imprinted  a  hearty  kiss  on  his  wife's  cheek  as 
he  made  this  lover-like  speech,  and  then  rose  to  place 
his  fowling-piece  on  the  pegs  from  which  it  usually  hung 
over  the  fireplace. 

At  that  moment  the  door  opened  and  a  little  girl, 
with  bright  eyes  and  flaxen  hair,  bounded  into  the 
room. 

"  Oh,  mamma,  mamma !  "  she  said,  holding  up  a  sheet 
of  paper,  while  a  look  of  intense  satisfaction  beamed 
on  her  animated  countenance.  "  See,  I  have  drawn 
Chirac's  portrait.  Is  it  like,  mamma?  Do  you  think 
it  like?" 

"  Come  here,  Eda,  my  darling,  come  to  me,"  said  Stan- 


30 

ley,  seating  himself  on  a  chair  and  extending  his  arms. 
Edith  instantly  left  the  portrait  of  the  clog  in  her 
mother's  possession  and,  without  waiting  for  an  opinion 
as  to  its  merits,  ran  to  her  father,  jumped  on  his  knee, 
threw  her  arms  round  his  neck  and  kissed  him.  Edith 
was  by  no  means  a  beautiful  child,  but  miserable  indeed 
must  have  been  the  taste  of  him  who  would  have  pro 
nounced  her  plain-looking.  Her  features  were  not  reg 
ular  ;  her  nose  had  a  strong  tendency  to  what  is  called 
snubbed,  and  her  mouth  was  large  ;  but  to  counter 
balance  these  defects  she  had  a  pair  of  large  deep-blue 
eyes,  soft  golden  hair,  a  fair  rosy  complexion,  and  an  ex- 
pres^ion  of  sweetness  at  the  corners  of  her  mouth  that 
betrayed  habitual  good  nature.  She  was  quick  in  all  her 
movements,  combined  with  a  peculiar  softness  and  grace 
of  deportment  that  was  exceedingly  attractive. 

"  Would  you  like  to  go,  my  pet,"  said  her  father,  "  to 
a  country  far  far  away  in  the  north,  where  there  are 
high  mountains  and  deep  valleys,  inhabited  by  beautiful 
reindeer,  and  large  lakes  and  rivers  filled  with  fish ; 
where  there  is  very  little  daylight  all  the  long  winter, 
and  where  there  is  scarcely  any  night  all  the  long  bright 
summer  ?  "NVould  my  Eda  like  to  go  there  ?  " 

The  child  possessed  that  fascinating  quality  of  being 
intensely  interested  in  all  that  was  said  to  her.  As 
her  father  spoke,  her  eyes  gradually  expanded  and 
looked  straight  into  his,  while  her  head  turned  slowly 
and  very  slightly  to  one  side.  As  he  concluded,  she 
replied,  "  Oh  !  very,  very,  very  much  indeed,"  with  a 
degree  of  energy  that  made  both  her  parents  laugh. 

"Ah,  my  darling!  would  that  my  lazy  men  were 
endued  with  some  of  your  spirit,"  said  Stanley,  patting 
the  child's  head. 


UNGAVA.  31 

"  Is  Prince  a  lazy  man,  papa  ?  "  inquired  Edith  anx 
iously 

"  Xo,  certainly,  Prince  is  not.     Why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"  Because  I  love  Prince." 

"  And  do  you  not  love  all  the  men  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Edith,  with  some  hesitation  ;  "  at  least 
I  don't  love  them  very  much,  and  I  hate  one  !  " 

"  Hate  one  !  "  echoed  Mrs.  Stanley.  "  Come  here,  my 
darling." 

Eda  slipt  from  her  father's  knee  and  went  to  her 
mother,  feeling  and  looking  as  if  she  had  said  something 
wrong. 

Mrs.  Stanley  was  not  one  of  those  mothers  who,  when 
ever  they  hear  of  their  children  having  done  anything 
wrong,  assume  a  look  of  intense,  solemnized  horror,  that 
would  lead  an  ignorant  spectator  to  suppose  that  intel 
ligence  had  just  been  received  of  some  sudden  and  ap 
palling  catastrophe.  She  knew  that  children  could  not 
be  deceived  by  such  pieces  of  acting.  She  expressed 
on  her  countenance  precisely  what  she  felt,  a  slight 
degree  of  sorrow  that  her  child  should  cherish  an  evil 
passion,  which,  she  knew,  existed  in  her  heart  in  com 
mon  with  all  the  human  race,  but  which  she  .expected, 
by  God's  help  and  blessing,  to  subdue  effectually  at  last. 
Kissing  Eda's  forehead  she  said  kindly, — 

"  Which  of  them  do  you  hate,  darling  ?  " 

"  Gaspard,"  replied  the  child. 

"  And  why  do  you  hate  him  ?  " 

"  Because  he  struck  my  dog,"  said  Eda,  while  her  face 
flushed  and  her  eyes  sparkled  ;  "  and  he  is  always  rude 
to  everybody,  and  very,  very  cruel  to  the  dogs." 

"  That  is  very  wrong  of  Gaspard ;  but,  dearest 
Eda,  do  you  not  remember  what  is  written  in  God's 


32  UNGAVA. 

word, — '  Love    your   enemies  ? '      It   is    wrong   to   hale 
anybody." 

"  I  know  that,  mamma,  and  I  don't  wish  to  hate  Gas- 
pard,  but  I  can't  help  it.  I  wish  if  I  didn't  hate  him,  but 
it  won't  go  away." 

"  Well,  my  pet,"  replied  Mrs.  Stanley,  pressing  the 
child  to  her  bosom,  "  but  you  must  pray  for  him.  and 
speak  kindly  to  him  when  you  meet  him,  and  that  will 
perhaps  put  it  away.  And  now  let  us  talk  of  the  far-olf 
country  that  papa  was  speaking  about.  I  wonder  what 
he  has  to  tell  you  about  it !" 

Stanley  had  been  gazing  out  of  the  window  during 
the  foregoing  colloquy,  apparently  inattentive,  though,  in 
reality,  deeply  interested  in  what  was  said.  Turning 
round,  he  said, — 

"  I  was  going  to  tell  Eda  that  you  had  arranged  to 
follow  me  to  that  country  next  year,  and  that  perhaps 
you  would  bring  her  along  with  you." 

"  Nay,  George,  you  mistake.  I  did  not  arrange  to  do 
so, — you  only  proposed  the  arrangement ;  but,  to  say 
truth,  I  don't  like  it,  and  I  can't  make  up  my  mind  to  let 
you  go  without  us.  I  cannot  wait  till  next  year." 

"  Well,  well,  Jessie,  I  have  exhausted  all  my  powers 
of  persuasion.  I  leave  it  entirely  to  yourself  to  do  as 
you  think  best." 

At  this  moment  the  sound  of  deep  voices  was  heard  in 
the  hall,  which  was  separated  from  Stanley's  quarters  by 
a  thin  partition  of  wood.  In  a  few  seconds  the  door 
opened,  and  George  Barney,  the  Irish  butler  and  gen 
eral  factotum  to  the  establishment,  announced  that  the 
'•  min  wos  in  the  hall  awaitin'." 

Giving  Eda  a  parting  kiss,  Stanley  rose  and  entered 
the  hall,  where  Francois,  Massan,  Gaspard,  and  several 


UNGAWA.  33 

others,  were  grouped  in  a  corner.     On  their  bourgeois 
entering,  they  doffed  their  bonnets  and  bowed. 

"  Well,  lads,"  began  Stanley,  with  a  smile,  "  you've 
thought  better  of  it,  I  hope,  and  have  come  to  volunteer 
for  this  expedition — "  He  checked  himself  and  frowned, 
for  he  saw  by  their  looks  that  they  had  come  with  quite 
a  different  intention.  "  What  have  you  to  say  to  me  ?  " 
he  continued,  abruptly. 

The  men  looked  uneasily  at  each  other,  and  then  fixed 
their  eyes  on  Francois,  who  was  evidently  expected  to 
be  spokesman. 

"  Come,  Francois,  speak  out,"  said  Stanley  ;  "  if  you 
have  any  objections,  out  with  them, — you're  free  to  say 
what  you  please  here." 

As  he  spoke,  and  ere  Francois  could  reply,  Frank 
Morton  entered  the  room.  "  Ah  !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he 
deposited  his  rifle  in  a  corner,  and  flung  his  cap  on  the 
table,  "  in  time,  I  see,  to  help  at  the  council !  " 

"  I  was  just  asking  Francois  to  state  his  objections  to 
going,"  said  Stanley,  as  his  young  friend  took  his  place 
•beside  him. 

"  Objections  !  "  repeated  Frank,  "  what  objections  can 
bold  spirits  have  to  go  on  a  bold  adventure  ?  The  ques 
tion  should  have  been, '  Who  will  be  first  to  volunteer?'  " 

At  this  moment  the  door  of  Stanley's  apartment 
opened,  and  his  wife  appeared  leading  Eda  by  the 
hand. 

"Here  are  two  volunteers,"  she  said,  with  a  smile; 
"  pray  put  us  at  the  head  of  your  list.  We  will  go  with 
you  to  any  part  of  the  world  ! " 

"  Bravo ! "  shouted  Frank,  catching  up  Eda,  with 
whom  he  was  a  great  favorite,  and  hugging  her  tightly 
in  his  arms. 

3 


34 

"  Nay,  but,  wife,  this  is  sheer  folly.  You  know  not 
the  dangers  that  await  you — " 

"Perhaps  not,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Stanley,  "but  you 
know  them,  and  that  is  enough  for  me." 

"Indeed,  Jessie,  I  know  them  not.  I  can  but  guess  at 
them. — But,  ah  !  well,  'tis  useless  to  argue  further.  Be 
it  so ;  we  shall  head  the  list  with  you  and  Eda." 

"And  put  my  name  next,"  said  a  deep-toned  voice 
from  behind  the  other  men.  All  turned  round  in  sur 
prise. 

"  Dick  Prince  !  "  they  exclaimed,  "  you  here  ?  " 

"  Ay,  lads,"  said  a  tall  man  of  about  forty,  who  was 
not  so  remarkable  for  physical  development  (though  in 
this  respect  he  was  by  no  means  deficient)  as  for  a  cer 
tain  decision  of  character  that  betrayed  itself  in  every 
outline  of  his  masculine,  intelligent  countenance.  "  Ay, 
lads,  I'm  here ;  an'  sorry  am  I  that  I've  jist  corned  in 
time  to  hear  that  you're  sich  poor-spirited  rascals  as  to 
hang  back  when  ye  should  jump  for'ard." 

"  But  how  carne  you  so  opportunely,  Prince  ?  "  in 
quired  Stanley. 

"  I  met  an  Injin,  sir,  as  told  me  you  was  goin'  off,  so  I 
thought  you  might  want  me,  and  com'd  straight  back. 
And  now,  sir,  I'm  ready  to  go,  and  so  is  Francois,"  he 
continued,  turning  to  that  individual,  who  seized  his 
hand  and  exclaimed,  "  That  am  I,  my  boy,  to  the  moon 
if  ye  like  !  " 

"  And  Massan,  too,"  continued  Prince. 

"  All  right ;  book  me  for  Nova  Zembla,"  replied  that 
worthy. 

"  So,  so,"  cried  Mr.  Stanley,  with  a  satisfied  smile. 
"  I  see,  lads,  that  we're  all  of  one  mind  now.  Is  it  not 
so  ?  Are  we  agreed  ?  " 


UNGAVA.  35 

"'  Agreed  !  agreed  !  "  they  replied  with  one  voice. 

"  That's  well,"  he  continued.  "  Now,  then,  lads,  clear* 
out  and  get  your  kits  ready.  And  ho !  Barney,  give 
these  men  a  glass  of  grog.  Prince,  I  shall  want  to  talk 
with  you  this  evening.  Come  to  me  an  hour  hence. 
And  now,"  he  added,  taking  Eda  by  the  hand,  "  come 
along,  my  gentle  volunteers ;  let's  go  to  supper." 


36  UXGAVA. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

EXPLANATORY,  BUT  NOT  DRY !— MURDEROUS  DESIGNS  THWARTED 
BY  VIGOROUS  TREATMENT— THE  CATTLE  PAY  FOR  IT '.— PRE 
PARATION'S  EOR  A  LONG,  LONG  VOYAGE. 

IN  order  to  render  our  story  intelligible,  it  is  necessary 
here  to  say  a  few  words  explanatory  of  the  nature 
and  object  of  the  expedition  referred  to  in  the  foregoing 
chapters. 

Many  years  previous  to  the  opening  of  our  tale,  it  was 
deemed  expedient,  by  the  rulers  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Fur  Company,  to  effect,  if  possible,  a  reconciliation  or 
treaty  of  peace  between  the  Muskigon  Indians  of  James's 
Bay  and  the  Esquimaux  of  Hudson's  Straits.  The 
Muskigons  are  by  no  means  a  warlike  race ;  on  the  con 
trary,  they  are  naturally  timid,  and  only  plucked  up 
courage  to  make  war  on  their  northern  neighbors  in 
consequence  of  these  poor  people  being  destitute  of  fire 
arms,  while  themselves  were  supplied  with  guns  and 
ammunition  by  the  fur  traders.  The  Esquimaux,  how 
ever,  are  much  superior  to  the  Muskigon  Indians,  physi 
cally,  and  would  have  held  their  adversaries  in  light 
esteem  had  they  met  on  equal  terms,  or,  indeed,  on  any 
terms  at  all ;  but  the  evil  was  that  they  never  met. 
The  Indians  always  took  them  by  surprise,  and  from  be 
hind  the  rocks  and  bushes  sent  destruction  into  their 
camps  with  the  deadly  bullet,  while  their  h  Ipless  foes 
could  only  reply  with  the  comparatively  harmless  arrow 
and  spear.  Thus  the  war  was  in  fact  an  annual  raid  of 


UXGAVA.  37 

murderers.  The  conceited  Muskigons  returned  to  their 
wigwams  in  triumph,  with  bloody  scalps  hanging  at  their 
belts  ;  while  the  Esquimaux  pushed  farther  into  their  ice 
bound  fastnesses,  and  told  their  comrades,  with  lowering 
brows  and  heaving  bosoms,  of  the  sudden  attack,  and  of 
the  wives  and  children  who  had  been  butchered  in  cold 
blood,  or  led  captive  to  the  tents  of  the  cowardly  red 
men. 

At  such  times,  those  untutored  inhabitants  of  the  frozen 
regions  vowed  vengeance  on  the  Indians,  and  cursed  in 
their  hearts  the  white  men  who  supplied  them  with  the 
deadly  gun.  But  the  curse  was  unmerited.  In  the 
councils  of  the  fur  traders  the  subject  of  Esquimaux 
wrongs  had  been  mooted,  and  plans  for  the  amelioration 
of  their  condition  devised.  Trading  posts  were  estab 
lished  on  Richmond  Gulf  and  Little  Whale  River,  but, 
owing  to  circumstances  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  detail 
here,  they  turned  out  failures,  and  were  at  length  aban 
doned.  Still,  those  in  charge  of  the  districts  around  Hud 
son's  Bay  and  Labrador  continued  to  use  every  argu 
ment  to  prevail  on  the  Indians  to  cease  their  murderous 
assaults  on  their  unoffending  neighbors,  but  without  much 
effect.  At  length  the  governor  of  East  Main, — a  ter 
ritory  lying  on  the  eastern  shores  of  James's  Bay, — 
adopted  an  argument  which  proved  eminently  successful, 
at  least  for  one  season. 

His  fort  was  visited  by  a  large  band  of  Muskigons 
from  Albany  and  Moose  districts,  who  brought  a  quan 
tity  of  valuable  furs,  for  which  they  demanded  guns  and 
ammunition,  making  no  secret  of  their  intention  to  pro 
ceed  on  an  expedition  against  their  enemies  the  Es 
quimaux.  On  hearing  of  this,  the  governor  went  out 
to  them,  and,  in  a  voice  of  extreme  indignation,  assured 


38  UNGAVA. 

them  that  they  should  not  have  an  ounce  of  supplies  for 
such  a  purpose. 

"  But  we  will  pay  you  for  what  we  ask.  We  are  not 
beggars  !  "  exclaimed  the  astonished  Indians,  into  whose 
calculations  it  had  never  entered  that  white  traders  would 
refuse  good  furs  merely  in  order  to  prevent  the  death  of 
a  few  Esquimaux. 

"  See,"  cried  the  angry  governor,  snatching  up  the 
nearest  bale  of  furs,  "  see,  that's  all  I  care  for  you  or 
your  payment !  "  and  hurling  the  pack  at  its  owner's 
head,  he  felled  him  therewith  to  the  ground.  "  No," 
he  continued,  shaking  his  fist  at  them,  "  I'll  not  give 
you  as  much  powder  or  shot  as  would  blow  off  the  tail 
of  a  rabbit,  if  you  were  to  bring  me  all  the  skins  in 
Labrador ! " 

The  consequence  of  this  vigorous  conduct  was  that  the 
Indians  retired  crestfallen, — utterly  discomfited.  But  in 
the  camp  that  night  they  plotted  revenge.  In  the  dark 
ness  of  the  night  they  slaughtered  all  the  cattle  around 
the  establishment,  and  before  daybreak,  were  over  the 
hills  and  far  away  in  the  direction  of  their  hunting- 
grounds,  loaded  with  fresh  beef  sufficient  for  the  supply 
of  themselves  and  their  families  for  the  winter!  It  was 
a  heavy  price  to  pay ;  but  the  poor  Esquimaux  remained 
unmolested  that  year,  while  the  Indians  received  a  salu 
tary  lesson.  But  the  compulsory  peace  was  soon  broken, 
and  it  became  apparent  that  the  only  effectual  way  to 
check  the  bloodthirsty  propensity  of  the  Indians  was  to 
arm  their  enemies  with  the  gun.  The  destruction  of  the 
first  expedition  to  the  Esquimaux,  and  the  bad  feeling 
that  existed  in  the  minds  of  the  natives  of  Richmond 
Gulf,  consequent  thereon,  induced  the  fur  traders  to  fix 
on  another  locality  for  a  new  attempt.  It  was  thought 


UNGAVA.  39 

that  the  remote  solitudes  of  Ungava  Bay  at  the  extreme 
north  of  Labrador, — where  the  white  man's  axe  had  never 
yet  felled  the  stunted  pines  of  the  north,  nor  the  ring  of 
his  rifle  disturbed  its  echoes, — would  be  the  spot  best 
suited  for  the  erection  of  a  wooden  fort. 

Accordingly,  it  was  appointed  that  Mr.  George  Stanley 
should  select  a  coadjutor  and  proceed  with  a  party  of 
picked  men  to  the  scene  of  action  as  early  in  the  spring 
as  the  ice  would  permit,  and  there  build  a  fort  as  he  best 
could,  with  the  best  materials  he  could  find ;  live  on 
whatever  the  country  afforded  in  the  shape  of  food  ;  es 
tablish  a  trade  in  oil,  whalebone,  arctic  foxes,  &c.  &c., 
if  they  were  to  be  got ;  and  bring  about  a  reconciliation 
between  the  Esquimaux  and  the  Indians  of  the  interior, 
if  that  were  possible !  With  the  careful  minuteness  pe- 
fuliar  to  documents,  Stanley's  instructions  went  on  to 
point  out  that  he  was  to  start  from  Moose — with  two  half- 
sized  canoes,  each  capable  of  carrying  ten  pieces  or  pack 
ages  of  90  Ibs.  weight  each,  besides  the  crew — and  bore 
through  the  ice.  if  the  ice  would  allow  him,  till  he  should 
reach  Richmond  Gulf;  cross  this  gulf,  and  ascend,  if 
practicable,  some  of  the  rivers  which  fall  into  it  from  the 
height  of  land  supposed,  but  not  positively  known,  to  ex 
ist  somewhere  in  the  interior.  Passing  this  height,  he 
was  to  descend  by  the  rivers  and  lakes  (if  such  existed) 
leading  to  the  eastward  until  he  should  fall  upon  a  river 
reported  to  exist  in  these  lands,  and  called  by  the  natives 
Caneapiiscaiv,  or  South  River,  down  which  he  was  to 
proceed  to  the  scene  of  his  labors,  Ungava  Bay  ;  on 
reaching  which  he  was  considerately  left  to  the  unaided 
guidance  of  his  own  discretion  !  Reduced  to  their  lowest 
term  and  widest  signification,  the  instructions  directed 
our  friend  to  start  as  early  as  he  could,  with  whom  he 


40  UNGAVA. 

chose,  and  with  what  he  liked  ;  travel  as  fast  as  possible 
over  terra  incognita  to  a  land  of  ice, — perhaps,  also,  of 
desolation, — and  locate  himself  among  bloody  savages. 
It  was  hoped  that  there  would  be  found  a  sufficiency  of 
trees  wherewith  to  build  him  a  shelter  against  a  pro 
longed  winter ;  in  the  mean  time  he  might  enjoy  a  bright 
arctic  summer  sky  for  his  canopy ! 

But  it  was  known,  or  at  least  supposed,  that  the  Es 
quimaux  were  fierce  and  cruel  savages,  if  not  cannibals. 
Their  very  name  implies  something  of  the  sort.  It  sig 
nifies  eaters  of  raw  flesh,  and  was  bestowed  on  them  by 
their  enemies  the  Muskigons.  They  call  themselves 
Innuit,  men,  or  warriors  ;  and  although  they  certainly  do 
eat  raw  flesh  when  necessity  compels  them — which  it 
often  does — they  asserted  that  they  never  did  so  from 
choice.  However,  be  this  as  it  may,  the  remembrance 
of  their  misdeeds  in  the  first  expeditions  was  fresh  in  the 
minds  of  the  men  in  the  service  of  the  fur  traders, 
and  they  evinced  a  decided  unwillingness  to  venture  into 
such  a  country,  and  among  such  a  people,  an  unwilling 
ness  which  was  only  at  length  overcome  when  Mrs.  Stanley 
and  her  little  daughter  heroically  volunteered  to  share 
the  dangers  of  the  expedition  in  the  manner  already 
narrated. 

Stanley  now  made  vigorous  preparations  for  his 
departure.  Some  of  the  men  had  already  been  en 
rolled,  as  we  have  seen,  and  there  were  more  than 
enough  of  able  and  active  volunteers  ready  to  complete 
the  crews. 

"  Come  hither,  lads,"  he  cried,  beckoning  to  two 
men  who  were  occupied  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  near 
the  entrance  to  Moose  Fort,  in  repairing  the  side  of  a 
canoe. 


UNGAVA.  41 

The  men  left  their  work  and  approached.  They  were 
both  Esquimaux,  and  good  stout,  broadshouldered,  thick 
set  specimens  of  the  race  they  were.  One  was  called 
Oolibuck,*  the  other  Augustus  ;  both  of  which  names  are 
now  chronicled  in  the  history  of  arctic  adventure  as  hav 
ing  belonged  to  the  well-tried  and  faithful  interpreters  to 
Franklin,  Back,  and  Richardson,  in  their  expeditions  of 
nor'west  discovery. 

"  I'm  glad  to  see  you  busy  at  the  canoe,  boys,"  said 
Stanley,  as  they  came  up.  "  Of  course  you  are  both 
willing  to  revisit  your  countrymen." 

"  Yes,  sir,  we  is.  Glad  to  go  where  you  choose  send 
us,"  answered  Oolibuck,  whose  broad,  oily  countenance 
lighted  up  with  good-humor  as  he  spoke. 

"  It  will  remind  you  of  your  trip  with  Captain  Frank 
lin,"  continued  Stanley,  addressing  Augustus. 

"Me  no  like  to  'member  dat,"  said  the  Esquimaux, 
with  a  sorrowful  shake  of  the  head.  "  Me  love  bourgeois 
Franklin,  but  tink  me  never  see  him  more." 

"  I  don't  know  that,  old  fellow,"  returned  Stanley, 
with  a  smile.  "  Franklin  is  not  done  with  his  discoveries 
yet ;  there's  a  talk  of  sending  off  another  expedition 
some  of  these  days  I  hear,  so  you  may  have  a  chance 
yet." 

Augustus's  black  eyes  sparkled  with  pleasure  as  he 
heard  this.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  feeling  ;  and,  dur 
ing  his  journeyings  with  our  great  arctic  hero,  had  be 
come  attached  to  him  in  consequence  of  the  hearty  and 
unvarying  kindness  and  consideration  with  which  he 
treated  all  under  his  command.  But  the  spirit  of  en 
terprise  had  been  long  slumbering,  and  poor  Augustus, 

*  This  name  is  spelt  as  it  should  be  pronounced.  The  correct 
spelling  is  Ouligbuck. 


42  UNGAVA. 

who  was  now  past  the  prime  of  life,  feared  that  he  should 
never  see  his  kind  master  more. 

"  Now,  I  want  you,  lads,  to  get  everything  in  readi 
ness  for  an  immediate  start,"  continued  Stanley,  glancing 
upwards  at  the  sky  ;  "  if  the  weather  holds,  we  shan't  be 
long  of  paying  your  friends  a  visit.  Are  both  canoes 
repaired  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  they  is,"  replied  Oolibuck. 

"  And  the  baggage,  is  it  laid  out  ?     And — " 

"  Pardon,  monsieur,"  interrupted  Massan,  walking  up, 
and  touching  his  cap.  "  I've  jest  been  down  at  the  point, 
and  there's  a  rig'lar  nor'wester  a-comin'  down.  The  ice 
is  sweepin'  into  the  river,  an  'it'll  be  choked  up  by  to 
morrow  I'm  afraid." 

Stanley  received  this  piece  of  intelligence  with  a  slight 
frown,  and  looked  seaward,  where  a  dark  line  on  the 
horizon  and  large  fields  of  ice  showed  that  the  man's 
surmise  was  likely  to  prove  correct. 

"  It  matters  not,"  said  Stanley,  hastily,  "  I've  made 
arrangements  to  start  to-morrow,  and  start  we  shall,  in 
spite  of  ice  or  wind,  if  the  canoes  will  float !  " 

Massan,  who  had  been  constituted  principal  steersman 
of  the  expedition,  in  virtue  of  his  well-tried  skill  and 
indomitable  energy,  felt  that  the  tone  in  which  this  was 
said  implied  a  want  of  confidence  in  his  willingness  to  go 
under  any  circumstances,  so  he  said  gravely, — 

"  Pardon,  monsieur;  I  did  not  sny  we  could  not  start." 

"True,  true,  Massan;  don't  be  hurt.  I  was  only 
grumbling  at  the  weather,"  answered  Stanley,  witli  a 
laugh. 

Just  then  the  first  puff  of  the  coming  breeze  swept  up 
the  river,  ruffling  its  hitherto  glassy  surface. 

"  There  it   comes,"   cried    Stanley,  as  he  quitted  the 


UNGAVA.  43 

spot.  "  Now,  Mnssan,  see  to  it  that  the  crews  are  as 
sembled  in  good  time  on  the  beach  to-morrow.  We  start 
at  daybreak." 

"  Oui,  monsieur,"  replied  Mnssan,  as  he  turned  on  his 
heel  and  walked  away.  "  Parbleu  !  we  shall  indeed  start 
to-morrow,  an'  it  please  you,  if  all  the  ice  and  wind  in 
the  polar  regions  was  blow'd  down  the  coast  and  cram 
med  into  the  river's  mouth.  C'est  vrai !  " 


44  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER   V. 

ICE  LOOKS  UNPROPITIOUS— THE  START— AN  IMPORTANT  MEMBER 
OF  TUB  PARTY  NEARLY  FORGOTTEN— CHIMO. 

STANLEY'S  forebodings  and  Hassan's  prognostica 
tions  proved  partly  incorrect  on  the  following  morn 
ing.  The  mouth  of  the  river,  and  the  sea  beyond,  were 
quite  full  of  ice ;  but  it  was  loose  and  intersected  in  all 
directions  by  lanes  of  open  water.  Moreover,  there  was 
no  wind. 

The  gray  light  of  early  morning  brightened  into  dawn, 
and  the  first  clear  ray  of  the  rising  sun  swept  over  a 
scene  more  beautiful  than  ever  filled  the  fancy  of  the 
most  imaginative  poet  of  the  Temperate  Zones.  The 
sky  was  perfectly  unclouded,  and  the  surface  of  the  sea 
was  completely  covered  with  masses  of  ice,  whose  tops 
were  pure  wrhite  like  snow,  and  their  sides  a  delicate 
greenish-blue,  their  dull,  frosted  appeai'ance  forming  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  surrounding  water,  which  shone, 
when  the  sun  glanced  upon  it,  like  burnished  silver. 
The  masses  of  ice  varied  endlessly  in  form  and  size, 
some  being  flat  and  large  like  fields,  others  square  and 
cornered  like  bastions  or  towers,  —  here  a  miniature 
temple  with  spires  and  minarets,  there  a  crystal  for 
tress  with  embrasures  and  battlements  ;  and,  in  the  midst 
of  these,  thousands  of  broken  fragments,  having  all  the 
varied  outlines  of  the  larger  masses,  appearing  like  the 
smaller  houses,  cottages,  and  villas  of  this  floating  city 
of  ice. 


UNGAVA.  45 

"  Oli,  how  beautiful ! "  exclaimed  little  Edith,  as  her 
father  led  her  and  Mrs.  Stanley  towards  the  canoes  which 
floated  lightly  in  the  water,  while  the  men  stood  in  a 
picturesque  group  beside  them,  leaning  on  their  bright 
red  paddles. 

"  It  is  indeed,  my  pet,"  replied  Stanley,  a  smile  almost 
of  sadness  playing  around  his  lips. 

"  Come,  George,  don't  let  evil  forebodings  assail  you 
to-day,"  said  Mrs.  Stanley  in  a  low  tone.  "  It  does  not 
become  the  leader  of  a  forlorn-hope  to  cast  a  shade  over 
the  spirits  of  his  men  at  the  very  outset."  She  smiled 
as  she  said  this,  and  pressed  his  arm ;  but  despite  her 
self,  there  was  more  of  sadness  in  the  smile  and  in  the 
pressure  than  she  intended  to  convey. 

Stanley's  countenance  assumed  its  usual  firm  but  cheer 
ful  expression  while  she  spoke.  "  True,  Jessie,  I  must 
not  damp  the  men  ;  but  when  I  look  at  you  and  our  dar 
ling  Eda,  I  may  be  forgiven  for  betraying  a  passing 
glance  of  anxiety.  May  the  Almighty  protect  you." 

"  Is  the  country  we  are  going  to  like  this,  papa  ?  "  in 
quired  Eda,  whose  intense  admiration  of  the  fairylike 
scene  rendered  her  oblivious  of  all  else. 

"  Yes,  dear,  more  like  this  than  anything  else  you 
have  ever  seen  ;  but  the  sun  does  not  always  'shine  so 
brightly  as  it  does  just  now,  and  sometimes  there  are 
terrible  snow-storms.  But  we  will  build  you  a  nice  house, 
Eda,  with  a  very  large  fireplace,  so  that  we  won't  feel 
the  cold." 

The  entire  population  of  Moose  Fort  was  assembled 
on  the  beach  to  witness  the  departure  of  the  expedition. 
The  party  consisted  of  fifteen  souls.  As  we  shall  follow 
them  to  the  icy  regions  of  Ungava,  it  may  be  worth  while 
to  rehearse  their  names  in  order  as  follows  : — 


46  UNGAVA. 

MR.  and  MRS.  STANLEY  and  EDITH. 

FRANK  MORTON. 

HASSAN,  the  guide. 

DICK  PRINCE,  principal  hunter  to  the  party. 

LA  ROCHE,  Stanley's  servant  and  cook. 

BRYAN,  the  blacksmith. 

FRANCOIS,  the  carpenter. 

OOLIBUCK,  ~\ 

AUGUSTUS,   >•  Esquimaux  interpreters. 

MOSES,         ) 

GASPARD,  laborer  and  fisherman. 

OOSTESIMOW,  ) 

MA-ISTEQUAN,}Indian    ^'^    aml    llUnter8' 

The  craft  in  which  these  were  about  to  embark  were 
three  canoes,  two  of  which  were  large  and  one  small. 
They  were  made  of  birch  bark,  a  substance  which  is 
tough,  light,  and  buoyant  ;  and,  therefore,  admirably 
adapted  for  the  construction  of  craft  that  have  not  only 
to  battle  against  strong  and  sometimes  shallow  currents, 
but  have  frequently  to  be  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  their 
crews  over  rocks  and  mountains.  The  largest  canoe 
was  sixteen  feet  long  by  five  feet  broad  in  the  middle, 
narrowing  gradually  towards  the  bow  and  stern  to  a 
sharp  eflge.  Its  loading  consisted  of  bales,  kegs,  casks, 
and  bundles  of  goods  and  provisions ;  each  bale  or  cask 
weighed  exactly  90  Ibs.,  and  was  called  a  piece.  There 
were  fifteen  pieces  in  the  canoe,  besides  the  crew  of  six 
men,  and  Mr.  Stanley  and  his  family,  who  occupied  the 
centre,  where  their  bedding,  tied  up  in  flat  bundles  and 
covered  with  oiled  cloth,  formed  a  comfortable  couch. 
Notwithstanding  the  size  and  capacity  of  this  craft,  it  had 
been  carried  down  to  the  beach  on  the  shoulders  of 
Massan  and  Dick  Prince,  who  now  stood  at  its  bow  ami 


UNGAVA.  47 

stern,  preventing  it  with  their  paddles  from  rubbing  its 
frail  sides  against  the  wharf;  for  although  the  bark  is 
tough,  and  will  stand  a  great  deal  of  tossing  in  water  and 
plunging  among  rapids,  it  cannot  sustain  the  slightest 
blow  from  a  rock  or  other  hard  substance  without  bein^ 

O 

cracked,  or  having  the  gum  which  covers  the  seams 
scraped  off.  To  those  who  are  unacquainted  with  trav 
elling  in  the  wild  regions  of  the  north,  it  would  seem 
impossible  that  a  long  journey  could  be  accomplished  in 
such  tender  boats  ;  but  a  little  experience  proves  that, 
by  judicious  treatment  and  careful  management,  voyages 
of  great  length  may  be  safely  accomplished  in  them, — 
that  they  are  well  adapted  for  the  necessities  of  the 
country,  and  can  be  taken  with  greater  ease  through  a 
rough,  broken,  and  mountainous  region,  than  ordinary 
wooden  boats,  even  of  smaller  size,  could  be. 

The  second  canoe  was  in  all  respects  similar  to  the 
one  we  have  described,  excepting  that  it  was  a  few  inches 
shorter.  The  third  was  much  smaller;  so  small  that  it 
could  not  contain  more  than  three  men,  with  their  pro 
visions  and  a  few  bales  ;  and  so  light,  that  it  could  with 
the  greatest  ease  be  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  one  man. 
It  was  intended  to  serve  as  a  sort  of  pioneer  and  hunting 
craft,  which  should  lead  the  way,  dart  hither  and  thither 
in  pursuit  of  game,  and  warn  the  main  body  of  any  dan 
ger  that  should  threaten  them  ahead.  It  was  manned  by 
the  two  Indian  guides,  Oostesiniow  and  Ma-istequan,  and 
by  Frank  Morton,  who,  being  acknowledged  one  of  the 
best  shots  of  the  party,  was,  by  tacit  understanding  re 
garded  as  commissary-general.  It  might  have  been  said 
that  Frank  was  the  best  shot,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that 
the  aim  of  Dick  Prince  was  perfect,  and  it  is  generally 
admitted  that  perfection  cannot  be  excelled. 


48  UXGAVA. 

Although  differing  widely  in  their  dispositions  and  ap 
pearance,  the  men  of  the  expedition  were  similar  at  least 
in  one  respect, — they  were  all  firstrate,  and  had  been 
selected  as  being  individually  superior  to  their  comrades  at 
Moose  Fort.  And  a  noble  set  of  fellows  they  looked,  as 
they  stood  beside  their  respective  canoes,  leaning  on  their 
little  brilliantly  colored  paddles,  awaiting  the  embarkation 
of  their  leaders.  They  all  wore  new  suits  of  clothes, 
which  were  sufficiently  similar  to  give  the  effect  of  a  uni 
form,  yet  so  far  varied  in  detail  as  to  divest  them  of 
monotony,  and  relieve  the  eye  by  agreeable  contrast  of 
bright  colors.  All  of  them  wore  light-blue  cloth  capotes 
with  hoods  hanging  down  behind  ;  all  had  corduroy  trou 
sers  gartered  below  the  knee ;  and  all  wore  moccasins, 
and  had  fire-bags  stuck  in  their  belts,  in  which  were  con 
tained  the  materials  for  producing  fire,  tobacco  and  pipes. 
So  far  they  were  alike,  but  the  worsted  belts  of  some 
were  scarlet,  of  others  crimson,  and  of  others  striped. 
Some  gartered  their  trousers  with  thongs  of  leather, 
others  used  elegant  bands  of  bead-work — the  gifts,  prob 
ably,  of  sorrowing  sweethearts,  sisters,  or  mothers — while 
the  fire-bags,  besides  being  composed,  some  of  blue,  some 
of  scarlet  cloth,  were  ornamented  more  or  less  with  flow 
ers  and  fanciful  devices  elegantly  wrought  in  the  gayly 
dyed  quills  of  the  porcupine. 

On  seeing  Stanley  and  his  wife  and  child  approaching, 
Massan  gave  the  order  to  embark.  In  a  moment  every 
man  divested  himself  of  his  capote,  which  he  folded  up 
and  placed  on  the  seat  he  was  to  occupy  ;  then,  shaking 
hands  all  round  for  the  last  time,  they  stepped  lightly 
and  carefully  into  their  places. 

"  All  ready  I  see,  Massan,"  said  Stanley,  as  he  came 
up,  "  and  the  ice  seems  pretty  open.  How  say  you,  shall 
we  make  a  good  day  of  it  ?  " 


UXGAVA.  49 

Massan  smiled  dubiously  as  he  presented  his  thick 
shoulder  as  a  support  to  Mrs.  Stanley,  while  she  stepped 
into  her  place.  He  remembered  the  conversation  of  the 
previous  evening,  and  determined  that,  whatever  should 
happen,  he  at  least  would  not  cast  the  shadow  of  a  doubt 
on  their  prospects.  But,  in  his  own  mind,  he  suspected 
that  their  progress  would  be  interrupted  ere  long,  as  the 
wind,  although  very  light — almost  imperceptible — was 
coming  from  the  northwest. 

"  It'll  be  full  flood  in  less  nor  half  an  hour,"  he  replied, 
u  and  (take  care,  Miss  Edith,  give  me  your  little  hand  ; 
there,  now  jump  light,)  and  we'll  be  past  the  p'int  by  that 
time,  and  git  the  good  o'  the  ebb  till  sundown." 

4i  I  fear,"  said  Frank  Morton,  approaching,  "  that  the 
ice  is  rather  thick  for  us  ;  but  it  don't  much  matter,  it  will 
only  delay  us  a  bit — and  at  any  rate  we'll  make  good  way 
as  far  as  the  point." 

••  True,  true."  said  Stanley  ;  "  and  it's  a  great  matter 
to  get  fairly  started.  Once  off,  we  must  go  forward.  All 
ready, lads  ?  " 

';  Ay,  ay,  sir." 

"  Now,  Frank,  into  your  canoe  and  show  us  the  way  ; 
mind,  we  trust  to  your  guidance  to  keep  us  clear  of  blind 
alleys  among  these  lanes  of  water  in  the  ice." 

At  this  moment,  Edith — who  had  been  for  the  last 
few  minutes  occupied  in  alternately  drying  her  eyes  and 
kissing  her  hands  to  a  group  of  little  children  who  had 
been  her  playfellows  during  her  sojourn  at  the  fort — 
uttered  a  loud  exclamation. 

"  Oh  !  oh  !  papa,  mamma — Chimo  ! — we've  forgot 
Chimo  !  Oh,  me  !  don't  go  away  yet !  " 

'•  So  we  have !  "  said  her  father  ;  "  dear  me,  how  stupid 
to  forget  our  old  friend  !     Hallo  !  Frank,  Frank,  we've 
4 


50  UNGAVA. 

forgot  the  clog,"  shouted  Stanley  to  his  young  comrade, 
who  was  on  the  point  of  starting. 

On  hearing  this,  Frank  gave  a  long,  shrill  whistle. 
"  That'll  bring  him  if  he's  within  ear-shot." 

When  the  well-known  sound  broke  upon  Chimo's  ear, 
he  was  lying  coiled  up  in  front  of  the  kitchen  fire,  being 
privileged  to  do  so  in  consequence  of  his  position  as  Edith's 
favorite.  The  cook,  having  gone  out  a  few  minutes  pre 
viously,  had  left  Chimo  to  enjoy  his  slumbers  in  solitude, 
so  that,  when  he  started  suddenly  to  his  feet  on  hearing 
Frank's  whistle,  he  found  himself  a  prisoner.  But  Chimo 
was  a  peculiarly  strong-minded  and  strong-bodied  dog, 
and  was  possessed  of  an  iron  will !  He  was  of  the  Esqui 
maux  breed,  and  bore  some  resemblance  to  the  New 
foundland  ;  but  was  rather  shorter  in  the  legs,  longer  in 
the  body,  and  more  powerfully  made.  Moreover  he  was 
more  shaggy,  and  had  a  stout,  blunt,  straightforward  ap 
pearance,  which  conveyed  to  the  beholder  the  idea  that 
he  scorned  flattery,  and  would  not  consent  to  be  petted 
on  any  consideration.  Indeed  this  was  the  case,  for  he 
always  turned  away  with  quiet  contempt  from  any  of  the 
men  who  attempted  to  fondle  him.  He  made  an  excep 
tion,  however,  of  little  Edith,  whom  he  not  only  permit 
ted  to  clap  him  to  any  extent,  but  deliberately  invited 
her  to  do  so,  by  laying  his  great  head  on  her  lap,  rub 
bing  himself  against  her,  and  wagging  his  bushy  tail,  as 
if  to  say,  "  Now,  little  girl,  do  what  you  will  with  me  ! " 
And  Eda  never  refused  the  animal's  dumb-show  request. 
"When  she  was  very  young  and  had  not  much  sense, — at 
which  time  Chimo  was  young  too,  but  possessed  of  a 
great  deal  of  sense, — she  formed  a  strong  affection  for 
the  Esquimaux  dog,  an  affection  which  she  displayed  by 
putting  her  little  arms  round  his  neck  and  hugging  him 


UNGAVA.  51 

until  he  felt  a  tendency  to  suffocation ;  she  also  pulled 
his  ear*  and  tail,  and  stuffed  her  fat,  little  hands  into  his 
eyes  and  mouth  ;  all  of  which  dreadful  actions  she  seemed 
to  think,  in  her  childish  ignorance,  must  be  very  pleasant 
to  Chinio,  and  all  of  which  the  dog  appeared  really  to 
enjoy.  At  all  events,  whether  he  liked  it  or  not,  he  came 
regularly  to  have  himself  thus  treated  every  day.  As 
Eda  grew  older  she  left  off  choking  her  favorite,  and 
poking  out  his  eyes,  and  contented  herself  with  caressing 
him.  C'himo  also  evinced  a  partiality  for  Mr.  Stanley  and 
Frank  Morton,  and  often  accompanied  the  latter  on  his 
hunting  excursions  ;  but  he  always  comported  himself 
towards  them  with  dignified  hauteur,  accepting  their 
caresses  with  a  slight  wag  of  acknowledgment,  but  never- 
courting  their  favor. 

On  jumping  up,  as  we  have  already  said,  and  observ 
ing  that  the  door  was  shut,  the  dog  looked  slowly  and 
calmly  round  the  apartment,  as  if  to  decide  on  what  was 
best  to  be  done ;  for  Chimo  was  a  dog  of  great  energy 
of  character,  and  was  never  placed  in  any  circum 
stances  in  which  he  did  not  pursue  some  decided  course 
of  action.  On  the  present  occasion  there  was  not  a  hole, 
except  the  keyhole,  by  which  he  could  hope  to  make  his 
escape.  Yes,  by-the-by,  there  was  a  hole  in  the  window, 
which  was  made  of  parchment ;  but  as  that  was  merely 
the  bullet-hole,  through  which  the  animal  that  had  given 
his  skin  for  a  window  had  been  shot,  and  was  not  larger 
than  a  shilling,  it  did  not  afford  much  'hope.  Neverthe 
less  Chimo  regarded  it  with  a  steady  gaze  for  a  minute 
or  two,  then  he  turned  to  the  fire,  and  having  satisfied 
himself  that  the  chimney  was  impracticable,  being  full  of 
flames  and  smoke,  he  faced  the  window  once  more,  and 
showed  his  teeth,  as  if  in  chagrin. 


52  UXGAVA. 

"  Whew-ew  !  Chirao-o-o  ! "  came  Frank's  voice,  float 
ing  faintly  from  afar.  Chimo  took  aim  at  the  bullet-hole. 
One  vigorous  bound, — a  horrible  crash,  that  nearly 
caused  the  returning  cook  to  faint, — and  the  dog  was 
free. 

"  Ah,  here  he  comes  ! — good  dog  !  "  cried  Frank,  as 
the  animal  came  bounding  over  intervening  obstacles 
towards  the  canoes.  Chimo  made  straight  for  the  small 
canoe,  in  answer  to  his  master's  call ;  but,  like  many 
dogs  and  not  a  few  men,  he  owned  a  higher  power  than 
that  of  a  master.  The  voice  of  his  little  mistress  sound 
ed  sweetly  in  his  ear,  like  the  sound  of  a  silver  bell. 
"  Oh,  Chimo,  Chimo  !  my  darling  pet  !  come  here — 
here."  It  was  a  soft,  tiny  voice,  at  the  loudest,  and  was 
quite  drowned  amid  the  talking  and  laughter  of  the 
men  ;  but  Chimo  heard  it.  Turning  at  a  sharp  angle 
from  his  course,  he  swept  past  the  light  canoe,  and 
bounding  into  that  of  Mr.  Stanley,  lay  down  beside  Eda 
and  placed  his  head  in  her  lap,  where  it  was  immediately 
smothered  in  the  caresses  of  its  young  mistress. 

Mr.  Stanley  smiled,  and  patted  his  little  girl  on  the 
shoulder,  as  he  said,  "  That's  right,  Eda  ;  the  love  of  a 
faithful  dog  is  worth  having  and  cherishing."  Then 
turning  towards  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  where  Massan 
stood  erect,  with  his  steering  paddle  ready  for  action,  he 
said  to  that  worthy, — 

"  Now,  Massari,  all  ready  ;  give  the  word." 

"  Ho,  ho,  boys  ;  forward  !  " 

The  paddles  dipped  simultaneouly  in  the  water  with  a 
loud,  gurgling  sound ;  the  two  large  canoes  shot  out  into 
the  stream  abreast  of  each  other,  preceded  by  the  light 
one,  which,  urged  forward  by  the  powerful  arms  of 
Frank  and  the  two  Indians,  led  the  way  among  the  float- 


UNGAVA.  53 

ing  fields  of  ice.  The  people  on  shore  took  off  their 
caps  and  waved  a  last  farewell.  Dick  Prince,  who  pos 
sessed  a  deep,  loud,  sonorous  voice,  began  one  of  those 
beautiful  and  wild,  yet  plaintive  songs,  peculiar  to  the 
voyageurs  of  the  wilderness.  The  men  joined,  with  a 
full,  rich  swell,  in  the  chorus,  as  they  darted  forward 
with  arrow-like  speed. — and  the  voyage  began. 


54 


CHAPTER   VI. 

CHARACTER    PARTIALLY    DEVELOPED  —  DUCKS    FOR     SUPPER  —  A 
THREATENED    "Nil"  •'  — BUNDLED    OUT    ON    THE    ICE. 

FORTUNATELY  the  wind  veered  round  to  the 
southeast  soon  after  the  departure  of  the  canoes 
from  Moose  Fort,  and  although  there  was  not  enough  of 
it  to  ruffle  the  surface  of  the  river,  it  had  the  effect  of 
checking  the  influx  of  ice  from  James's  Bay.  The  tide, 
too,  began  to  ebb,  so  that  the  progress  of  the  canoes  was 
even  more  rapid  than  it  appeared  to  be  ;  and  long  before 
the  sun  set,  they  were  past  the  point  at  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  and  coasting  along  the  shores  of  the  salt  ocean. 

Outside  of  them  the  sea  was  covered  with  hummocks 
and  fields  of  ice,  some  of  which  ever  and  anon  met  in 
the  cross  currents  caused  by  the  river,  with  a  violent 
shock.  Close  to  the  shore,  however,  the  thickness  of  the 
ice  caused  it  to  strand,  leaving  a  lane  of  open  water, 
along  which  the  canoes  proceeded  easily,  the  depth  of 
water  being  much  more  than  sufficient  for  them,  as  the 
largest  canoe  did  not  draw  more  than  a  foot.  Some 
times,  however,  this  space  was  blocked  up  by  smaller 
fragments,  and  considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  in 
steering  the  canoes  amongst  them.  Had  the  party  trav 
elled  in  boats,  they  would  have  easily  dashed  through 
many  of  these  checks,  but  with  canoes  it  is  far  otherwise. 
Not  only  are  their  bark  sides  easily  broken,  but  the 
seams  are  covered  with  a  kind  of  pitch,  which  becomes 


UNGAVA.  55 

so  brittle  in  ice-cold  water  that  it  chips  off  in  large 
lumps  with  the  slightest  touch.  For  the  sea,  therefore, 
boats  are  best ;  but  when  it  comes  to  carrying  the  craft 
over  waterfalls,  and  up  mountain  sides,  for  days  and 
weeks  together,  canoes  are  more  useful,  owing  to  their 
lightness. 

"  Take  care,  Massan,"  said  Mr.  Stanley,  on  approach 
ing  one' of  these  floes.  "  Don't  chip  the  gum  off,  if  you 
can  help  it.  If  we  spring  a  leak  we  shan't  spend  our 
fii-st  night  on  a  pleasant  camping-ground,  for  the  shore 
just  hereabouts  does  not  look  inviting." 

"  No  fear,  sir,"  replied  Massan.  "  Dick  Prince  is  in 
the  bow ;  and  as  long  as  his  mouth's  shut  I  keep  my 
mind  easy." 

"  You  appear  to  have  unlimited  confidence  in  Prince," 
said  Stanley  with  a  smile.  "  Does  he  never  fail  in  any 
thing,  that  you  are  so  sure  of  him  ?  " 

"  Fail !  "  exclaimed  the  steersman,  whose  paddle  swept 
constantly  in  a  circle  round  his  head,  while  he  changed  it 
from  side  to  side,  as  the  motions  of  the  canoe  required ; 
•'  fail !  ay,  that  does  he  sometimes.  Mortal  man  must 
get  on  the  wrong  side  o'  luck  now  and  then.  I've  seen 
Dick  Prince  fail,  but  I  never  saw  him  make  a  mistake." 

"  Well,  I've  no  doubt  that  he  deserves  your  good  opin 
ion.  Nevertheless,  be  more  than  ordinarily  careful.  If 
you  had  a  wife  and  child  in  the  canoe,  Massan,  you 
would  understand  my  anxiety  better."  Stanley  smiled 
as  he  said  this,  and  the  worthy  steersman  replied  in  a 
grave  tone, — 

u  I  have  the  wife  and  child  of  my  bourgeois  under  my 
care." 

"True,  true,  Massan,"  said  Stanley,  lying  back  on  his 
couch,  and  conversing  with  his  wife  in  an  under  tone. 


56  UNGAVA. 

"  'Tis  curious,"  said  he,  "  to  observe  the  confidence  that 
Massan  has  in  Prince ;  and  yet  it  would  be  difficult  to 
say  wherein  consists  the  superiority  of  the  one  over  the 
other." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  the  influence  of  a  strong  mind  over  a 
weaker,"  suggested  his  wife. 

"It  may  be  so.  Yet  Prince  is  an  utterly  uneducated 
man.  True,  he  shoots  a  hair's-breadth  better  thhn  Mas 
san  ;  but  he  is  not  a  better  canoe-man,  neither  is  he  more 
courageous,  and  he  is  certainly  less  powerful  ;  neverthe 
less  Massan  looks  up  to  him  and  speaks  of  him  as  if  he 
were  greatly  his  superior.  The  secret  of  his  power 
must  lie  in  that  steady,  never-wavering  inflexibility  of 
purpose,  that  characterizes  our  good  bowman  in  every 
thing  he  does." 

"  Papa,"  said  Edith,  who  had  been  holding  a  long  con 
versation  with  Chimo  on  the  wonders  of  the  scene  around 
them, — if  we  may  call  that  a  conversation  where  the  one 
party  does  all  the  talking  and  the  other  all  the  listening, 
— "  Papa,  where  shall  we  all  sleep  to-night  ?  " 

The  thought  seemed  to  have  struck  her  for  the  first 
time,  and  she  looked  up  eagerly  for  an  answer,  while 
Chimo  gave  a  deep  sigh  of  indifference,  and  went  to 
sleep,  or  pretended  to  do  so,  where  he  was. 

"  In  the  woods,  Eda.  How  do  you  think  you  will 
like  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I'm  sure  I  shall  like  it  very  much,"  replied  the 
little  one.  "  I've  often  wished  to  live  in  the  woods  alto 
gether,  like  the  Indians,  and  do  nothing  but  wander 
about  and  pull  berries." 

"  Ah,  Jessie,"  said  Stanley,  "  what  an  idle  little  bag 
gage  your  daughter  is.  I  fear  she's  a  true  chip  of  the 
old  block  !  " 


UNO  A  V  A.  57 

"  Which  do  you  consider  the  old  block  ?  "  retorted  Mrs. 
Stanley.  "  You  or  me  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  wife  ;  we'll  leave  that  an  open  question. 
But  tell  me,  Eda,  don't  you  think  that  wandering  about 
and  pulling  berries  would  be  a  very  useless  sort  of 
life  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Edith,  gravely.  "  Mamma  often  tells 
me  that  God  wants  me  to  be  happy,  and  I'm  quite  sure 
that  wandering  about  all  day  in  the  beautiful  woods  would 
make  me  happy." 

"  But,  my  darling,"  said  Stanley,  smiling  at  the  sim 
plicity  of  this  plausible  argument  in  favor  of  an  idle  life, 
'•  don't  you  know  that  we  ought  to  try  to  make  others 
happy  too,  as  well  as  ourselves  ?  " 

'•  Oh,  yes,"  replied  Eda,  with  a  bright  smile,  "  I  know 
that,  papa ;  and  I  would  try  to  make  everybody  happy 
by  going  with  them  and  showing  them  where  the  finest 
flowers  and  berries  were  to  be  found  ;  and  so  we  would 
all  be  happy  together,  and  that's  what  God  wants,  is  it 
not  ?  " 

Mr.  Stanley  glanced  towards  his  wife  with  an  arch 
smile.  "  There,  Jessie,  what  think  you  of  that  ?  " 

"  Nay,  husband,  what  think  you  ?  " 

li  I  think."  he  replied  in  an  under  tone,  "  that  your  sa 
gacious  teaching  against  idleness,  and  in  favor  of  dili 
gence  and  attention  to  duty,  and  so  forth,  has  not  taken 
very  deep  root  yet." 

"  And  /  think,"  said  Mrs.  Stanley,  "  that  however  wise 
you  men  may  be  in  some  things,  you  are  all  most  incom 
prehensibly  stupid  in  regard  to  the  development  of  young 
minds." 

"  Take  care  now,  Jessie  ;  you're  verging  upon  meta 
physics.  But  you  have  only  given  me  your  opinion 


58  UXGAVA. 

of  men  as  yet ;  you  have  still  to  say  what  you  think 
of  Eda's  acknowledged  predilection  for  idleness." 

"Well,"  replied  Mrs.  Stanley,  "I  think  that  my 
sagacious  teaching,  as  you  are  pleased  to  call  it,  has  taken 
pretty  firm  root  already,  and  that  Eda's  speech  is  one  of 
the  first  bright,  beautiful  blossoms,  from  which  we  may 
look  for  much  fruit  hereafter  ;  for,  to  make  one's  self  and 
one's  fellow-creatures  happy,  because  such  is  t/te  will  of 
God,  seems  to  me  a  simple  and  comprehensive  way  of 
stating  the  whole  duty  of  man." 

Stanley's  eyes  opened  a  little  at  this  definition.  "  Hum  ! 
multum  in  parvo  ;  it  may  be  so,"  he  said  ;  and,  casting 
down  his  eyes,  he  was  soon  lost  in  a  profound  reverie, 
while  the  canoe  continued  to  progress  forward  by  little 
impulsive  bounds,  under  the  rapid  stroke  of  the  paddles. 
Eda  rested  her  fair  cheek  on  the  shaggy  brow  of  Chimo, 
and  accompanied  him  to  the  land  of  nod,  until  the  sun 
began  to  sink  behind  the  icebergs  on  the  seaward  horizon, 
where  a  dark  line  indicated  an  approaching  breeze. 

Massan  cast  an  uneasy  glance  at  this  from  time  to  time. 
At  length  he  called  to  his  friend  in  the  bow,  '•  Hallo, 
Prince  !  will  it  come  stiff,  think  ye  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Prince,  rising  and  shading  his  eyes  with 
his  hand  ;  "  it'll  be  only  a  puff;  but  that's  enough  to  drive 
the  ice  down  on  us,  an'  shut  up  the  open  water." 

"  It's  my  'pinion,"  said  Massan,  "  that  AVC  should  hold 
away  for  the  p'int  yonder,  an'  camp  there." 

Dick  Prince  nodded  assent,  and  resumed  his  paddle.  As 
he  did  so,  the  report  of  a  gun  came  sharply  over  the  water. 

"  ITa !  "  exclaimed. Stanley,  looking  out  ahead  ;  "  what's 
that  ?  " 

"  Only  Mr.  Frank,"  said  Massan  ;  "  he's  dowsed  two 
birds.  I  seed  them  splash  into  the  water." 


UNGAVA.  59 

"  That's  right,"  said  Stanley;  "we  shall  have  some 
thing  fresh  for  the  kettle  to-night ;  and,  by  the  way,  we'll 
need  all  we  can  kill,  for  we  haven't  much  provision  to 
depend  on,  and  part  of  it  must  be  reserved  in  case  of 
accidents,  so  that  if  Frank  does  not  do  his  duty,  we  shall 
have  to  live  on  birch  bark,  Massan." 

"  That  would  be  rayther  tough,  I'm  afeer'd,"  replied 
the  steersman,  laughing.  "  I've  tried  the  tail  o'  a  deer 
skin  coat  afore  now,  an'  it  wasn't  much  to  boast  of;  but  I 
niver  tried  a  birch-bark  steak.  I  doubt  it  would  need  a 
power  o'  chewin' !  " 

By  this  time  the  two  large  canoes  had  drawn  gradually 
nearer  to  the  leading  one.  As  they  approached,  Frank 
ordered  his  men  to  cease  paddling. 

"  "Well,  Frank,  what  success  ?  "  said  Stanley,  as  they 
came  up. 

"  There's  our  supper,"  cried  Frank,  tossing  a  large 
duck  into  the  canoe  ;  "  and  there's  a  bite  for  the  men," 
he  added,  sending  a  huge  gray  goose  into  the  midst  of 
them.  "  I  saw  a  herd  of  reindeer  on  the  other  side  of 
the  point ;  but  the  ice  closed  up  the  passage,  and  pre 
vented  me  from  getting  within  range.  It  will  stop  our 
farther  progress  for  to-night  too ;  so  I  waited  to  advise 
you  to  camp  here." 

"  There  it  comes  !  "  cried  Dick  Prince.  "  Jump  out 
on  the  ice,  lads,  and  unload  as  fast  as  you  can." 

As  Dick  spoke,  lie  sprang  on  to  a  field  of  ice  which  was 
attached  to  the  shore,  and  drawing  the  canoe  alongside, 
began  hastily  to  remove  the  cargo.  His  example  was 
instantly  followed  by  the  men,  who  sprang  over  the  gun 
wales  like  cats  ;  and  in  less  than  five  minutes  the  car 
goes  were  scattered  over  the  ice.  Meanwhile  the  breeze 
which  Massan  had  observed  continued  to  freshen,  and  the 


60  UXGAVA. 

seaward  ice  bore  rapidly  down  on  the  shore,  gradually 
narrowing  and  filling  up  the  lanes  of  water  among  which 
the  travellers  had  been  hitherto  wending  their  way.  Dick 
Prince's  sudden  action  was  caused  by  his  observing  a 
large  solid  field,  which  bore  down  on  them  with  consider 
able  rapidity.  His  warning  was  just  in  time,  for  the 
goods  were  scarcely  landed  and  the  three  canoes  lifted 
out  of  the  water,  when  the  ice  closed  in  with  a  crash  that 
would  have  ground  the  frail  barks  to  pieces,  and  the  pas 
sage  was  close  dup.  So  completely  was  every  trace  of 
water  obliterated,  that  it  seemed  as  though  there  never 
had  been  any  there  before  ! 


UXGAVA.  Gl 


CHAPTER    VII. 

SHOWS  HOW  THE  PAKTY  MADE  THEMSELVES  A1?:  HOME  IX  TOB 
BUSH— TALK  KOUND  THE  CAMP  FIRE— A  FLASH  OF  TEMPER— 
TUKXIXG  IN. 

THE  spot  where  they  were  thus  suddenly  arrested  in 
their  progress  was  a  small  bay,  formed  by  a  low 
point  which  jutted  from  the  mainland,  and  shut  out  the 
prospect  in  advance.  There  was  little  or  no  wood  on  the 
point,  except  a  few  stunted  willows,  which  being  green 
and  small,  would  not,  as  La  Roche  the  cook  remarked, 
'•  make  a  fire  big  enough  to  roast  the  wing  of  a  mosquito." 
There  was  no  help  for  it,  however.  The  spot  on  which 
Massan  had  resolved  to  encamp  for  the  night  was  three 
miles  on  the  other  side  of  the  point,  and,  as  the  way  was 
now  solid  ice  instead  of  water,  there  was  no  possibility  of 
getting  there  until  a  change  of  wind  should  drive  the 
ice  off  the  shore.  Moreover,  it  was  now  getting  dark, 
and  it  behooved  them  to  make  their  preparations  with  as 
much  speed  as  possible.  Accordingly,  Massan  and  Prince 
shouldered  one  canoe,  Franfois  and  Gaspard  carried  the 
other,  and  the  light  one  was  placed  on  the  shoulders  of 
Bryan  the  blacksmith ;  La  Roche  took  the  provision 
basket  and  cooking  utensils  under  his  special  charge, 
while  the  three  Esquimaux  interpreters  and  the  two  In 
dian  guides  busied  themselves  in  carrying  the  miscellane 
ous  goods  and  baggage  into  camp.  As  for  Chimo,  he 
seated  himself  quietly  on  a  lump  of  ice,  and  appeared  to 


02  UNGAVA. 

superintend  the  entire  proceedings;  while  his  young  mis 
tress  and  her  mother  accompanied  by  Frank  and  Stanley, 
crossed  the  ice  to  the  shore,  to  select  a  place  for  their 
encampment. 

But  it  was  some  time  ere  a  suitable  place  could  be 
found,  as  the  point  happened  to  be  low  and  swampy,  and 
poor  Eda's  first  experience  of  a  life  in  the  woods  was 
stepping  into  a  hole  which  took  her  up  to  the  knees  in 
mud  and  water.  She  was  not  alone,  however,  in  mis 
fortune,  for,  just  at  the  same  moment,  Bryan  passed 
through  the  bushes  with  his  canoe,  and  staggered  into  the 
same  swamp,  exclaiming  as  he  did  so,  in  a  rich  brogue, 
which  many  years'  residence  among  the  French  half- 
breeds  of  Rupert's  Land  had  failed  to  soften,  "  Thunder 
an'  turf!  such  a  blackguard  counthry  I  niver  did  see. 
Och,  Bryan  dear,  why  did  ye  iver  lave  yer  native 
land?" 

"  Pour  quoi,  why,  mon  boy  ?  for  ver'  goot  raison," 
cried  La  Roche,  in  a  horrible  compound  of  French  and 
broken  English,  as  he  skipped  lightly  past,  with  a  loud 
laugh  ;  "  for  ver'  goot  raison, — dey  was  tired  of  you  to 
home,  vraiment.  You  was  too  grande  raskale ;  dey 
could  not  keep  you  no  longer." 

"Thrue  for  ye,  La  Roche,"  replied  the  blacksmith, 
"  thrue  for  ye,  boy  ;  they  sartinly  could  not  keep  me  on 
nothin',  an'  as  the  murphies  was  all  sp'iled  wi'  the  rot,  I 
had  to  lave  or  starve." 

At  last,  after  a  long  search,  Frank  Morton  found  a 
spot  pretty  well  adapted  for  their  purpose.  It  was  an 
elevated  plot  of  gravel,  which  was  covered  with  a  thin 
carpet  of  herbage,  and  surrounded  by  a  belt  of  willows, 
which  proved  a  sufficient  shelter  against  the  wind.  A 
low  and  rather  shaggy  willow-tree  spread  its  branches 


UXGAVA.  63 

over  the  spot,  and  gave  to  it  a  good  deal  of  the  feeling 
and  appearance  of  shelter,  if  not  much  of  the  reality. 
This  was  of  little  consequence,  however,  as  the  night 
proved  fine  and  comparatively  mild,  so  that  the  black 
vault  of  heaven,  spangled  with  hosts  of  brilliant  stars, 
amply  compensated  for  the  want  of  a  leafy  canopy. 

Under  the  willow-tree,  Frank  and  La  Roche  busied 
themselves  in  spreading  a  very  small  white  tent  for  Mr. 
Stanley  and  his  family.  Frank  himself,  although  entitled 
from  hi.-  position  in  the  Company's  service  to  the  luxury 
of  a  tent,  scorned  to  use  one,  preferring  to  rough  it  like 
the  men,  and  sleep  beneath  the  shelter  of  the  small 
canoe.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  Stanley  proceeded  to  strike  a 
light  with  his  flint  and  steel,  and  Bryan,  having  deposited 
his  burden  near  the  tent,  soon  collected  a  sufficiency  of 
drift-wood  to  make  a  good  fire.  Edith  and  her  mother 
were  not  idle  in  the  midst  of  this  busy  scene.  They  col 
lected  a  few  bundles  of  dried  twigs  to  make  the  fire  light 
more  easily,  and,  after  the  blaze  was  casting  its  broad 
glare  of  light  over  the  camp,  and  the  tent  was  pitched, 
they  assisted  La  Roche  in  laying  the  cloth  for  supper. 
Of  course,  in  a  journey  like  this,  none  but  necessary 
articles  were  taken,  and  these  were  of  the  most  homely 
character.  The  kettle  was  the  teapot,  the  cups  were  tin 
pannikins,  and  the  tablecloth  was  a  large  towel,  while 
the  table  itself  was  the  ground,  from  the  damp  of  which, 
however,  the  party  in  the  tent  were  protected  by  an 
ample  oil-cloth. 

When  all  the  things  were  carried  up,  and  the  men  as 
sembled,  the  camp  presented  the  following  appearance : 
In  the  centre  of  the  open  space,  which  nature  had  ar 
ranged  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  blazed  the  fire ;  and  a 
right  jovial,  spluttering,  outrageous  fire  it  was,  sending  its 


64  UXGAVA. 

sparks  flying  in  all  directions,  like  the  artillery  of  a  belea 
guered  fortress  in  miniature,  and  rolling  its  flames  about 
in  fierce  and  wayward  tongues,  that  seemed  bent  on  lick 
ing  in  and  swallowing  up  the  entire  party,  but  more 
especially  La  Roche,  who  found  no  little  difficulty  in 
paying  due  attention  to  his  pots  and  kettles.  Sometimes 
the  flames  roared  fiercely  upwards,  singing  oft'  the  foliage 
of  the  overhanging  willow  as  they  went,  and  then,  burst 
ing  away  from  their  parent  fire,  portions  of  them  floated 
off  for  a  few  seconds  on  the  night  air.  On  the  weather 
side  of  this  fire  stood  Mr.  Stanley's  tent,  under  the  wil 
low-tree,  as  before  described,  its  pure  white  folds  showing 
strongly  against  the  darkness  of  the  sky  beyond.  The 
door-way  or  curtain  of  the  tent  was  open,  displaying  the 
tea  equipage  within,  and  the  smiling  countenances  of  Stan 
ley  and  his  wife,  Frank  and  Fda,  who  seated  on  blankets 
and  shawls  around  the  towel,  were  preparing  to  make  an 
assault  on  the  fat  duck  before  mentioned.  This  duck 
had  been  split  open  and  roasted  on  a  piece  of  stick  before 
the  blaze,  and  now  stood  with  the  stumps  of  its  wings 
and  legs  extended,  as  if  demanding  urgently  to  be  eaten  ; 
a  demand  which  Chimo,  who  crouched  near  the  door 
way,  could  scarce  help  complying  with. 

To  the  right  of  the  tent  was  placed  the  small  canoe, 
bottom  up,  so  as  to  afford  a  partial  protection  to  the  bed 
ding  which  Oostesimow  was  engaged  in  spreading  out 
for  Frank  and  himself  and  his  comrade  Ma-istequan. 
Facing  this,  at  the  other  side  of  the  fire,  and  on  the  left 
of  the  tent,  the  largest  canoe  was  turned  up  in  a  similar 
manner,  and  several  of  the  men  were  engaged  in  cover 
ing  the  ground  beneath  it  with  a  layer  of  leaves  and 
branches,  above  which  they  spread  their  blankets ;  while 
others  lounged  around  the  fire,  and  smoked  their  be- 


UNGAVA.  65 

loved  pipes,  or  watched  with  impatient  eyes  the  opera 
tions  of  Bryan,  who,  being  accustomed  to  have  familiar 
dealings  with  the  fire,  had  been  deemed  worthy  of  hold 
ing  the  office  of  cook  to  the  men,  and  was  inducted 
accordingly. 

It  is  due  to  Bryan  to  say  that  he  fully  merited  the 
honor  conferred  on  him ;  for  never,  since  the  days  of 
Vulcan,  was  there  a  man  seen  who  could  daringly  dabble 
in  the  fire  as  he  did.  He  had  a  peculiar  sleight-of-hand 
way  of  seizing  hold  of  and  tossing  about  redhot  coals 
with  his  naked  hand,  that  induced  one  to  believe  he  must 
be  made  of  leather.  Flames  seemed  to  have  no  effect 
whatever  on  his  sinewy  arms  when  they  licked  around 
them ;  and  as  for  smoke,  he  treated  it  with  benign  con 
tempt.  Not  so  La  Roche ;  with  the  mercurial  tempera 
ment  of  his  class  he  leaped  about  the  fire,  during  his 
culinary  operations,  in  a  way  that  afforded  infinite  amuse 
ment  to  his  comrades,  and  not  unfrequently  brought  him 
into  violent  collision  with  Bryan,  who  usually  received 
him  on  such  occasions  with  a  strong  Irish  growl,  mingled 
with  a  disparaging  or  contemptuous  remark. 

Beyond  the  circle  of  light  thrown  by  the  fire  was  the 
belt  of  willows  which  encompassed  the  camp  on  all  sides 
except  towards  the  sea,  where  a  narrow  gap  formed  a 
natural  entrance  and  afforded  a  glimpse  of  the  ocean 
with  its  fields  and  hummocks  of  ice  floating  on  its  calm 
bosom  and  glancing  in  the  faint  light  of  the  moon,  which 
was  then  in  its  first  quarter. 

"  How  comfortable  and  snug  everything  is ! "  said 
Mrs.  Stanley,  as  she  poured  out  the  tea,  while  her  hus 
band  carved  the  duck. 

"  Yes.  isn't  it,  Eda,"  said  Frank,  patting  his  favorite 
on  the  head,  as  he  held  out  her  plate  for  a  wing. 

5  * 


GG  UXGAVA. 

"  There,  give  her  a  bit  of  the  breast  too,"  he  added.  "  I 
know  she's  ravenously  hungry,  for  I  saw  her  looking  at 
Chimo,  just  before  we  landed,  as  if  she  meant  to  eat  him 
for  supper  without  waiting  to  have  him  cooked." 

"  Oh  !  Frank,  how  can  you  be  so  wicked  ?  "  said  Eda, 
taking  up  her  knife  and  fork  and  attacking  the  wing 
with  so  much  energy  as  almost  to  justify  her  friend's 
assertion. 

"  Snug,  said  you,  Jessie  ?  yes,  that's  the  very  word  to 
express  it,"  said  Stanley.  "  There's  no  situation  that  I 
know  of  (and  I  wasn't  born  yesterday)  that  is  so  per 
fectly  snug,  and  in  all  respects  comfortable,  as  an  en 
campment  in  the  woods  on  a  fine  night  in  spring  or 
autumn." 

"  Or  winter,"  added  Frank,  swallowing  a  pannikin  of 
tea  at  a  draught,  nodding  to  Chimo,  as  much  as  to  say 
"  Do  that  if  you  can,  old  fellow,"  and  handing  it  to  Mrs. 
Stanley  to  be  replenished.  "  Don't  omit  winter, — cold, 
sharp,  sunny  winter.  An  encampment  in  the  snow,  in 
fine  weather,  is  as  snug  as  this." 

"  Rather  cold,  is  it  not  ?  "  said  Mrs.  Stanley. 

"  Cold  !  not  a  bit,"  replied  Frank,  making  a  reckless 
dive  with  his  hand  into  the  biscuit  bag ;  "  if  you  have 
enough  wood  to  get  up  a  roaring  fire,  six  feet  long  by 
three  broad,  and  four  deep,  with  a  bank  of  snow  five 
feet  high  all  round  ye,  a  pine-tree  with  lots  of  thick 
branches  spreading  overhead  to  keep  off  the  snow,  and 
two  big  green  blankets  to  keep  out  the  frost  (another  leg 
of  that  widgeon,  please) — you've  no  notion  how  snug  it 
is,  I  assure  you." 

"  Hum  ! "  ejaculated  Stanley,  with  a  dubious  smile, 
"  you  forgot  to  add — a  youthful,  robust  frame,  with  the 
blood  careering  through  the  veins  like  wildfire,  to  your 


UXGAVA.  67 

catalogue  of  requisites.  Ko  doubt  it  is  pleasant  enough 
in  its  way  ;  but  commend  me  to  spring  or  autumn  for 
thorough  enjoyment,  when  the  air  is  mild,  and  the  waters 
flowing,  and  the  woods  green  and  beautiful." 

"  Why  don't  you  speak  of  summer,  papa  ?  "  said  Eda, 
who  had  been  listening  intently  to  this  conversation. 

"  Summer,  my  pet !  because — " 

"Allow  me  to  explain,"  interrupted  Frank,  laying  down 
his  knife  and  fork,  and  placing  the  forefinger  of  his 
right  hand  in  his  left  palm,  as  if  he  were  about  to  make 
a  speech. 

"  Because,  Eda,  because  there  is  such  a  thing  as  heat, 
long-continued,  never-ending,  sweltering  heat.  Because 
there  are  such  reprehensible  and  unutterably  detestable 
insects  as  musquitos,  and  sand-flies,  and  bull-dogs ;  and 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  being  bitten,  and  stung,  and  wor 
ried,  and  sucked  into  a  sort  of  partial  madness ;  and  I 
have  seen  such  sights  as  men  perpetually  slapping  their 
own  faces,  and  scratching  the  skin  off  their  own  cheeks 
with  their  own  nails,  and  getting  no  relief  thereby,  but 
rather  making  things  worse  ;  and  I  have,  moreover,  seen 
men's  heads  swelled  until  the  eyes  and  noses  were  lost 
and  the  mouths  only  visible  when  opened,  and  their 
general  aspect  like  that  of  a  Scotch  haggis ;  and  there 
is  a  time  when  all  this  accumulates  on  man  and  beast 
till  the  latter  takes  to  the  water  in  desperation,  and  the 
former  takes  to  intermittent  insanity,  and  that  time  is — 
summer.  Another  cup,  please,  Mrs.  Stanley.  'Pon  my 
conscience  it  creates  thirst  to  think  of  it." 

At  this  stage  the  conversation  of  the  party  in  the  tent 
was  interrupted  by  a  loud  peal  of  laughter,  mingled 
with  not  a  few  angry  exclamations  from  the  men.  La 
Roche,  in  one  of  his  frantic  leaps  to  avoid  a  tongue  of 


68  UNGAVA. 

flame,  which  shot  out  from  the  fire  with  a  vicious  velocity 
towards  his  eyes,  came  into  violent  contact  with  Bryan 
while  that  worthy  was  in  the  act  of  lifting  a  seething- 
kettle  of  soup  and  boiled  pork  from  the  fire.  Fortunately 
for  the  party  whose  supper  was  thus  placed  in  jeopardy, 
Bryan  stood  his  ground  ;  but  La  Roche,  tripping  over  a 
log,  fell  heavily  among  the  pannikin?,  tin  plates,  spoons, 
and  knives,  which  had  been  just  laid  out  on  the  ground 
in  front  of  the  canoe. 

"Ach !  mauvais  chien,"  growled  Gaspard,  as  he  picked 
up  and  threw  away  the  fragments  of  his  pipe  ;  "  you're 
always  cuttin'  and  jumpin'  about  like  a  monkey." 

"  Oh !  pauvre  crapaud,"  cried  Francois,  laughing ; 
"don't  abuse  him,  Gaspard.  He's  a  useful  dog  in  his 
way." 

"  Tare  an'  ages  !  you've  done  it  now,  ye  have.  Bad 
luck  to  ye  !  wasn't  I  for  iver  tellin'  ye  that  same.  Shure, 
if  it  wasn't  that  ye're  no  bigger  or  heavier  than  a  wisp 
o'  pea  straw,  ye'd  have  druve  me  and  the  soup  into  the 
fire,  ye  would.  Be  the  big  toe  o'  St.  Patrick,  not  to  min- 
tion  his  riverince  the  Pope — 

"  Come,  come,  Bryan,"  cried  Massan,  "  don't  speak  ill 
o'  the  Pope,  an'  down  wi'  the  kettle." 

"  The  kittle,  is  it  ?  Sorra  a  kittle  ye'll  touch,  Massan, 
till  it's  cool  enough  to  let  us  all  start  fair  at  wance. 
Ye've  got  yer  mouth  and  throat  lined  wi'  brass,  I  be 
lieve,  an'  would  ate.  the  half  o't  before  a  soul  of  us  could 
taste  it !  " 

"  Don't  insult  me,  you  red-faced  racoon,"  retorted  Mas 
san,  while  he  and  his  comrades  circled  round  the  kettle 
and  began  a  vigorous  attack  on  the  scalding  mess  ;  "  my 
throat  is  not  so  used  to  swallowin'  fire  as  your  own.  I 
never  know'd  a  man  that  payed  into  the  grub  as  you  do. 


UXGAVA.  69 

Bah !  how  hot  it  is.  I  say,  Oolibuck,  doesn't  it  remem 
ber  you  o'  the  clogs  o'  yer  own  country,  when  they  gits 
the  stone-kettle  to  clean  out  ?  " 

Oolibuck's  broad  visage  expanded  with  a  chuckle,  as 
he  lifted  an  enormous  wooden  spoonful  of  soup  to  his 
ample  mouth.  "  Me  tink  de  dogs  of  de  Innuit  *  make 
short  work  of  dis  kettle  if  'e  had  'im." 

"  Do  the  dogs  of  the  Huskies  eat  with  their  masters  ?  " 
inquired  Francois,  as  he  groped  in  the  kettle  with  his 
fork,  in  search  of  a  piece  of  pork. 

"  Dey  not  eat  wid  der  masters,  but  dey  al'ays  clean 
hout  de  kettle,"  replied  Moses,  somewhat  indignantly. 

"  Ha  !  "  exclaimed  Massan,  pausing  for  a  few  minutes 
to  recover  breath ;  "  yes,  they  always  let  the  dogs  finish 
off  the  feast.  Ye  must  know,  comrades,  that  I've  seed 
them  do  it  myself ; — anyways,  I've  seed  a  man  that  knew 
a  feller  who  said  he  had  a  comrade  that  wintered  once 
with  the  Huskies,  which  is  pretty  much  the  same  thing. 
An'  he  said  that  sometimes  when  they  kill  a  big  seal, 
they  boil  it  whole  an'  have  a  riglar  feast.  Ye  must  un 
derstand,  mes  garfons,  that  the  Huskies  make  thumpin' 
big  kittles  out  o'  a  kind  o'  soft  stone  they  find  in  them 
parts,  an'  some  o'  them's  big  enough  to  boil  a  whole  seal 
in.  Well,  when  the  beast  is  cooked,  they  take  it  out  o' 
the  pot,  an'  while  they're  tuckin'  into  it,  the  dogs  come 
and  sit  in  a  ring  round  the  pot  to  wait  till  the  soup's  cool 
enough  to  eat.  They  knows  well  that  it's  too  hot  at  first, 
an'  that  they  must  have  a  deal  o'  patience  ;  but  afore 
long,  some  o'  the  young  uns  can't  hold  on,  so  they  steps 
up  somewhat  desperate  like,  and  pokes  their  snouts  in. 
Of  coorse  they  pulls  them  out  pretty  sharp  with  a  yell, 
and  sit  down  to  rub  their  noses  for  a  bit  longer.  Then 
*  Esquimaux. 


70  UXGAVA. 

the  old  uns  take  courage  an'  make  a  snap  at  it  now  and 
again,  but  very  tenderly,  till  it  gits  cooler  at  last,  an'  then 
at  it  they  go,  worryin',  an'  scufflin',  an'  barkin',  an'  gol- 
lopin',  just  like  Moses  there,  till  the  pot's  as  clean  as  the 
day  it  wos  made." 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  oh,  ver'  goot,  tres  bien  ; — ah  !  mon  cocur. 
just  tres  splendiferous  !  "  shouted  La  Roche,  whose  risi 
bility  was  always  easily  tickled, 

"  It's  quite  true  though,  isn't  it,  Moses  ?  "  said  Massan, 
as  he  once  more  applied  to  the  kettle,  while  some  of  his 
comrades  cut  up  the  goose  that  Frank  had  shot  in  the 
afternoon. 

"  Why,  Moses,  what  a  capacity  you  have  for  grub  !  " 
said  Francois.  "  If  your  countrymen  are  anything  like 
you,  I  don't  wonder  that  they  have  boiled  seals  and 
whales  for  dinner." 

"  It'll  take  a  screamin'  kittle  for  a  whale,"  spluttered 
Bryan,  with  his  mouth  full,  "  an'  a  power  o'  dogs  to  drink 
the  broth." 

"  You  tink  you  funny,  Bryan,"  retorted  Moses,  while 
an  oily  smile  beamed  on  his  fat,  good-humored  counte 
nance  ;  "but  you  not;  you  most  dreadful  stupid." 

"  Thrue  for  ye,  Moses  ;  I  was  oncommon  stupid  to  let 
you  sit  so  long  beside  the  kittle,"  replied  the  Irishman,  as 
he  made  a  futile  effort  to  scrape  another  spoonful  from 
the  bottom  of  it.  "  Och  !  but  ye've  licked  it  as  clane  as 
one  of  yer  own  dogs  could  ha'  done  it." 

"  Mind  your  eye,"  growled  Gaspard,  at  the  same  time 
giving  La  Roche  a  violent  push,  as  that  volatile  worthy, 
in  one  of  his  eccentric  movements,  nearly  upset  his  can 
of  water. 

"  Oh !  pardon,  monsieur,"  exclaimed  La  Roche,  in 
pretended  sorrow,  at  the  same  time  making  a  grotesque 
bow  that  caused  a  general  peal  of  laughter. 


UNGAVA.  71 

"  Why,  one  might  as  well  travel  with  a  sick  bear  as 
with  you,  Gaspard,"  said  Francois,  half  angrily. 

"  Hold  your  jaw,"  replied  Gaspard. 

"  Not  at  your  bidding,"  retorted  Francois,  half  rising 
from  his  reclining  posture,  while  his  color  heightened. 
Gaspard  had  also  started  up,  and  it  seemed  as  if  the 
little  camp  were  in  danger  of  becoming  a  scene  of  strife, 
when  Dick  Prince,  who  was  habitually  silent  and  unob 
trusive,  preferring  generally  to  listen  rather  than  to 
speak,  laid  his  hand  on  Gaspard's  broad  shoulder  and 
pulled  him  somewhat  forcibly  to  the  ground. 

"  Shame  on  you,  comrades  ! "  he  said,  in  a  low,  grave 
voice,  that  instantly  produced  a  dead  silence ;  "  shame  on 
you,  to  quarrel  on  our  first  night  in  the  bush.  We've 
few  enough  friends  in  these  parts,  I  think,  that  AVC  should 
make  enemies  o'  each  other." 

"  That's  well  said,"  cried  Massan,  in  a  very  decided 
tone.  "  It  won't  do  to  fall  out  when  there's  so  few  of 
us."  And  the  stout  voyageur  thrust  his  foot  against  the 
logs  on  the  fire,  causing  a  rich  cloud  of  sparks  to  ascend, 
as  if  to  throw  additional  light  on  his  remark. 

"  Pardon  me,  mes  comrades,"  cried  Francois  ;  "  I  did 
not  intend  to  quarrel ; "  and  he  extended  his  hand  to 
Gaspard,  who  took  it  in  silence,  and  dropping  back  again 
to  his  recumbent  posture,  resumed  his  pipe. 

This  little  scene  was  witnessed  by  the  party  in  the 
tent,  who  were  near  enough  to  overhear  all  that  was  said 
by  the  men,  and  even  to  converse  with  them  if  they  should 
desire  to  do  so.  A  shade  of  anxiety  crossed  Mr.  Stan 
ley's  countenance  ;  and,  some  time  after,  recurring  to  the 
subject,  he  said, — 

"  I  don't  feel  quite  easy  about  that  fellow  Gaspard. 
He  seems  a  sulky  dog,  and  is  such  a  Hercules  that 


72  UNO  A  V  A. 

he  might  give  us  a  deal  of  trouble  if  he  were  high- 
spirited." 

A  slight  smile  of  contempt  curled  Frank's  lip  as  he 
said,  "  A  strong  arm  without  a  bold  heart  is  not  of  more 
value  than  that  of  my  Eda,  here,  in  the  hour  of  danger. 
But  I  think  better  of  Gaspard  than  you  seem  to  do. 
He's  a  sulky  enough  dog,  'tis  true  ;  but  he  is  a  good  hard 
worker,  and  does  not  grumble ;  and  I  sometimes  have 
noticed  traces  of  a  better  spirit  than  usually  meets  the 
eye.  As  for  his  bulk,  I  think  nothing  of  it ;  he  wants 
high  spirit  to  make  it  available.  Francois  could  thrash 
him  any  day." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  replied  Stanley ;  "  I  hope  they  won't 
try  their  metal  on  each  other  sooner  than  we  expect. 
Not  that  I  care  a  whit  for  any  of  the  men  having  a  round 
or  two  now  and  then  and  be  done  with  it ;  but  this  fel 
low  seems  to  '  nurse  his  wrath  to  keep  it  warm.'  On  such 
an  expedition  as  ours,  it  behooves  us  to  have  a  good  un 
derstanding  and  a  kindly  feeling  in  the  camp.  One  black 
sheep  in  the  flock  may  do  much  damage." 

"  He's  only  piebald,  not  black,"  said  Frank,  laughing, 
as  he  rose  to  quit  the  tent.  "  But  I  must  leave  you.  I 
see  that  Eda's  eyes  are  refusing  to  keep  open  any  longer, 
so  good  night  to  you  all,  and  a  sound  sleep." 

Frank's  concluding  remarks  in  reference  to  him  were 
overheard  by  Gaspard,  who  had  risen  to  look  at  the 
night,  and  afterwards  kneeled  near  the  tent,  in  order  to 
be  at  some  distance  from  his  comrades  while  he  said  his 
prayers ;  for,  strange  though  it  may  seem,  many  of  the 
rough  and  reckless  voyageurs  of  that  country,  most  of 
whom  are  Roman  Catholics,  regularly  retire  each  night 
to  kneel  and  pray  beneath  a  tree  before  lying  down  on 
their  leafy  couches,  and  deem  the  act  quite  consistent 


UXGAVA.  73 

with  the  swearing  and  quarrelling  life  that  too  many  of 
them  lead.  Such  is  human  nature  !  As  Gaspard  rose 
from  his  knees  Frank's  words  fell  upon  his  ear,  and 
when  he  drew  his  blanket  over  his  head  that  night,  there 
was  a  softer  spot  in  his  heart  and  a  wrinkle  less  on  his 
brow. 

When  Frank  stepped  over  to  the  place  where  his 
canoe  lay,  the  aspect  of  the  camp  was  very  different  from 
what  it  had  been  an  hour  before.  The  fire  had  burned 
low,  and  was  little  more  than  a  mass  of  glowing  embers, 
from  which  a  fitful  flame  shot  forth  now  and  then,  cast 
ing  a  momentary  glare  on  the  forms  of  the  men,  who, 
having  finished  their  pipes,  were  all  extended  in  a  row, 
side  by  side,  under  the  large  canoe.  As  they  possessed 
only  a  single  green  blanket  each,  they  had  to  make  the 
most  of  their  coverings,  by  rolling  them  tightly  around 
their  bodies,  and  doubling  the  ends  down  under  their 
feet  and  over  their  heads  ;  so  that  they  resembled  a  row 
of  green  bolsters,  all  their  feet  being  presented  towards 
the  fire  and  all  their  heads  resting  on  their  folded  capotes. 
A  good  deal  of  loud  and  regular  snoring  proved  that  toil 
and  robust  health  seldom  court  the  drowsy  god  long  in 
vain.  Turning  to  his  own  canoe,  Frank  observed  that 
his  Indian  friends  were  extended  out  under  it,  with  a 
wide  space  between  them,  in  which  his  own  bedding  was 
neatly  arranged.  The  grave  sons  of  the  forest  had  lain 
down  to  rest  long  before  their  white  comrades,  and  they 
now  lay  as  silent  and  motionless  as  the  canoe  that  cov 
ered  their  heads.  Being  a  small  canoe,  it  did  not  afford 
protection  to  their  legs  and  feet ;  but  in  fine  weather 
this  was  of  no  consequence,  and  for  the  morrow  they 
cared  not. 

Before  lying  down  Frank  kneeled  to  commend  himself 


74  UXGAVA. 

and  his  comrades  to  the  protection  of  God  ;  then  stirring 
up  the  embers  of  the  fire,  he  pulled  out  a  small  Bible 
from  his  breast  pocket,  and  sat  down  on  a  log  to  read. 
Frank  was  a  careless,  rollicking,  kind-hearted  fellow,  and 
how  much  there  was  of  true  religion  in  these  acts  none 
but  himself  could  tell.  But  the  habit  of  reading  the  word 
and  of  prayer,  had  been  instilled  into  him  from  infancy 
by  a  godly  mother,  and  he  carried  it  with  him  into  the 
wilderness. 

When  he  drew  his  blanket  over  him  and  laid  his  head 
on  his  capote,  the  stars  were  still  twinkling,  and  the 
moon  still  sailed  in  a  clear  sky  and  gave  silver  edges  to 
the  ice  upon  the  sea.  All  was  calm,  and  solemn,  and 
beautiful ;  and  it  seemed  as  if  it  could  never  be  other 
wise  in  such  a  tranquil  scene.  But  nature  docs  not 
always  smile.  Appearances  are  often  deceitful. 


UXGAVA.  75 


CHAPTER  Till. 

BRYAN'S  ADVENTURE  WITH  A  POLAR  BEAR,  ETC. 

ICE,  ice,  ice  !  everything  seemed  to  have  been  con 
verted  into  ice  when  the  day  broke  on  the  following 
morning  and  awoke  the  sleepers  in  the  camp.  A  sharp 
frost  during  the  night,  accompanied  by  a  fall  of  snow, 
had.  as  if  by  magic,  converted  spring  into  winter.  Icy 
particles  hung  upon  and  covered,  not  only  the  young 
leaves  and  buds  of  the  bushes,  but  the  branches  also, 
giving  to  them  a  white  and  extremely  airy  appearance. 
Snow  lay  on  the  upper  sides  of  the  canoes,  and  weighed 
heavily  on  the  tent,  causing  its  folds,  once  seemingly  so 
pure  and  white,  to  look  dirty  by  contrast.  Snow  lay  on 
the  protruding  legs  of  the  men,  and  encircled  the  black 
spot  where  rested  the  ashes  of  last  night's  brilliant  fire. 
Ice  grated  on  the  pebbles  of  the  shore  ;  ice  floated  on  the 
sea  ;  icy  hummocks  and  mounds  rose  above  its  surface ; 
and  icebergs  raised  their  pinnacles  on  the  far  off  horizon, 
and  cut  sharply  into  the  bright,  blue  sky. 

It  was  cold,  but  it  was  not  cheerless,  for  when  Eda 
put  out  her  head  at  the  curtain  door-way  of  the  tent,  and 
opened  her  eyes  upon  the  magic  scene,  the  sun's  edge  rose 
above  the  horizon,  as  if  to  greet  her,  and  sent  a  flood  of 
light  far  and  near  through  the  spacious  universe,  con 
verting  the  sea  into  glass,  with  islands  of  frosted  silver 
on  its  bosom.  It  was  a  gorgeous  scene,  worthy  of  its 
great  Creator,  who  in  his  mysterious  working  scatters 


7G  UNGAVA. 

gems  of  beauty  oftentimes  in  places  where  there  is  scarce 
a  single  human  eye  to  behold  their  excellence. 

Although  the  sea  was  covered  with  ice,  there  were, 
nevertheless,  several  lanes  of  open  water  not  far  from 
the  shore,  so  that  when  Stanley  called  a  council,  com 
posed  of  Frank  Morton,  Dick  Prince,  and  Massan,  it 
was  agreed  unanimously  that  they  should  attempt  to  pro 
ceed.  And  it  was  well  that  they  did  so;  for  they  had 
not  advanced  many  miles,  winding  their  way  cautiously 
among  the  canals  of  open  water,  when  they  doubled  a 
promontory,  beyond  which  there  was  little  or  no  ice  to 
be  seen,  merely  a  few  scattered  fragments  and  fields,  that 
served  to  enhance  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  by  the  airy 
lightness  of  their  appearance  in  contrast  with  the  bright 
blue  of  the  sea  and  sky,  but  did  not  interrupt  the  progress 
of  the  travellers.  The  three  canoes  always  maintained 
their  relative  positions  during  the  journey  as  much  as 
possible.  That  is  to  say,  Frank  and  the  t\vo  Indians 
went  first  in  the  small  canoe,  to  lead  the  way,  while  the 
two  large  canoes  kept  abreast  of  each  other  when  the 
open  water  was  wide  enough  to  permit  of  their  doing  so. 
This,  besides  being  more  sociable,  enabled  the  two  crews 
to  join  in  the  chorus  of  those  beautiful  songs  with  which 
they  frequently  enlivened  the  voyage. 

During  all  this  day,  and  for  many  days  following,  they 
continued  to  enjoy  fine  weather  and  to  make  rapid  progress. 
Sometimes  the  ice  was  pretty  thick,  and  once  or  twice 
they  narrowly  escaped  being  nipped  by  collapsing  masses, 
which  caused  them  to  jump  out,  hastily  throw  the  bag 
gage  on  the  ice,  and  haul  the  canoes  out  of  the  water. 
On  these  occasions  the  men  proved  themselves  to  be  ster 
ling  fellows,  nearly  all  of  them  being  cool,  prompt,  and 
collected,  in  the  moment  of  danger.  No  doubt  there 


UNGAVA.  77 

were  exceptions.  La  Roche,  when  any  sudden  crisis 
of  danger  arose,  usually  threw  himself  blindly  over  the 
side  of  the  canoe  on  to  the  ice,  with  the  lightness  and 
agility  of  a  harlequin.  He  recked  not  whether  he  came 
down  on  his  head  or  his  feet,  and  more  than  once  nearly 
broke  his  neck  in  consequence  of  his  precipitancy.  But 
La  Roche  was  no  coward,  and  the  instant  the  first  burst 
of  excitement  was  over,  he  rushed  to  render  effective 
assistance.  Bryan,  too,  although  not  so  mercurial  as  La 
Roche,  was  apt  to  lose  self-command  for  about  five  min 
utes  when  any  sudden  danger  assailed  him,  so  that  he 
frequently  sat  still,  staring  wildly  straight  before  him, 
while  the  others  were  actively  unloading  the  canoes ; 
and  once,  when  the  danger  was  more  critical  than 
usual,  having  sat  till  the  canoe  was  empty,  and  paid 
no  attention  to  a  prompt,  gruff  order  to  jump  ashore, 
he  had  been  seized  by  the  strong  arms  of  Gaspard  and 
tossed  out  of  the  canoe  like  a  puppy  dog.  On  these 
occasions  he  invariably  endeavored  to  make  up  for  his 
fault  by  displaying  on  recovery,  the  most  outrageous  and 
daring  amount  of  unnecessary  recklessness, — uttering,  at 
the  same  time,  an  amazing  number  of  strange  expressions, 
among  which  "  Tare  an'  ages  !  "  "  Och  !  murder  !  "  and 
several  others  less  lucid  in  signification,  predominated. 
Chimo  was  always  first  ashore,  and  instantly  wheeled 
round  to  greet  Eda,  who  was  also  always  second, — thanks 
to  the  strong  and  prompt  arm  of  Francois,  who  sat  just 
in  front,  and  by  tacit  agreement  took  her  under  his 
special  charge.  As  for  Mrs.  Stanley,  the  arm  that  was 
rightfully  her  own,  and  had  been  her  shield  in  many  a 
scene  of  danger,  proved  ever  ready  and  able  to  succor 
the  "  first  volunteer  "  to  L'ngava. 

At   times  the  sea  was  quite  free  of  ice,  and   many 


78  UXGAVA. 

miles  were  soon  added  to  the  space  which  separated 
the  little  band  of  adventurers  from  the  rest  of  the  hu 
man  world.  Their  encampments  varied  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  coast,  being  sometimes  among  pine- 
trees,  or  surrounded  by  dwarf  willows  ;  at  other  times  on 
the  bare  sand  of  the  sea-shore  ;  and  occasionally  at  the  ex 
tremity  of  long-projecting  capes  and  promontories,  where 
they  had  to  pitch  their  tent  and  make  their  beds  in 
the  clefts  of  the  solid  rock.  But  wherever  they  laid 
them  down  to  rest, — on  the  rock,  or  on  the  sand,  or 
within  the  shade  of  the  forest, — it  was  always  found,  as 
Mr.  Stanley  remarked  of  the  first  night's  encampment, 
that  they  were  extremely  comfortable  and  eminently 
snug. 

They  were  successful,  too,  in  procuring  an  ample  sup 
ply  of  fresh  provisions.  There  were  ducks  and  geese  of 
various  kinds,  and  innumerable  quantities  of  plover, 
cormorants,  gulls,  and  eider-ducks,  the  eggs  of  which 
they  found  in  thousands.  Many  of  these  birds  were 
good  for  food,  and  the  eggs  of  most  of  them,  especially 
those  of  the  eider-duck,  were  excellent.  Reindeer 
were  also  met  with ;  and,  among  other  trophies  of  his 
skill  as  a  hunter,  Frank  one  day  brought  in  a  black  bear, 
parts  of  which  were  eaten  with  great  gusto  by  the  Es 
quimaux  and  Indians,  to  the  immense  disgust  of  Bryan, 
who  expressed  his  belief  that  the  "  haythens  was  barely 
fit  to  live,"  and  were  most  justly  locked  out  from  so 
ciety  in  "  thim  dissolate  polar  raygeons."  There  were 
many  seals,  also,  in  the  sea,  which  put  up  their  ugly,  gro 
tesque  heads  ever  and  anon,  gazed  at  the  canoes  with 
their  huge  fishy  eyes,  as  if  in  surprise  at  the  sight  of 
such  novel  marine  monsters,  and  then  sank  slowly  be 
neath  the  wave.  These  animals  were  never  molested, 


UNGAVA.  79 

out  of  respect  to  the  feelings  of  the  two  Indians,  who 
believed  them  to  be  gods,  and  assured  Stanley  that  the 
destruction  of  one  would  infallibly  bring  down  ill-luck 
.  and  disaster  on  the  heads  of  the  party.  Stanley  smiled 
inwardly  at  this,  but  gave  orders  that  no  seals  should 
be  shot ;  an  order  which  all  were  very  willing  to  obey, 
as  they  did  not  require  the  animals  either  for  food  or 
any  other  purpose.  Several  white  polar  bears  were 
seen,  but  they  also  were  spared,  as  they  require  a  great 
deal  of  shot  to  kill  them,  if  not  hit  exactly  behind  the 
ear  ;  and,  besides,  neither  their  bodies  nor  skins  were  of 
any  use  to  the  travellers. 

Thus  all  went  favorably  for  a  time  ;  but  life  is  a 
checkered  story,  and  the  sun  of  prosperity  does  not 
always  shine,  as  we  shall  see. 

One  fine  morning,  as  they  were  paddling  cheerfully 
along  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Jones,  it  struck  Mr. 
Stanley  that  he  might  prove  the  correctness  of  his  sex 
tant  and  other  instruments  before  entering  upon  the 
country  which  to  most  of  the  party  was  terra  incognita. 
This  was  the  more  necessary  that  he  could  not  depend 
on  the  guidance  of  Oostesimow  and  Ma-istequan,  they 
having  travelled  only  once,  long  ago,  through  part  of  the 
country,  while  the  latter  part  of  it  was  totally  unknown 
to  them.  It  was  one  of  those  beautiful  mornings  that  are 
peculiar  to  arctic  regions,  when  the  air  is  inexpressibly 
still,  and  all  inanimate  nature  seems  hushed  in  profound 
repose — a  repose  which  is  rather  rendered  more  effective 
than  otherwise  by  the  plaintive  cries  of  wild-fowl  or  the 
occasional  puffing  of  a  whale.  There  was  a  peculiar  bril 
liancy,  too,  in  the  atmosphere,  caused  by  the  presence  of 
so  many  fields  and  hummocks  of  white  ice,  looming  fan 
tastically  through  a  thin,  dry,  gauze-like  haze,  which, 


80  UNGAVA. 

while  it  did  not  dim  the  brightness  of  the  solar  rays,  lent 
an  additional  charm  to  every  object,  by  shrouding  it  in 
a  veil  of  mystery. 

On  passing  the  point,  the  men  ceased  rowing,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  solace  themselves  with  a  five-minutes'  pipe — an 
indulgence  which  voyageurs  always  claim  as  their  due 
after  a  long  spell  at  the  oars,  or  paddles. 

'•  Put  ashore  here,  Massan,"  said  Stanley,  turning  to 
the  guide  ;  "  I  shall  take  an  observation,  if  possible, 
and  you  can  set  the  men  to  hunt  for  eggs.  We  shall 
want  them,  as  the  larder  is  rather  low  just  now." 

Massan  muttered  assent,  and,  shouting  to  the  other 
canoe  to  put  ashore,  ran  alongside  the  rocks. 

"  You'd  better  hail  the  little  canoe,"  said  Stanley,  as  he 
landed.  "  I  shall  want  Mr.  Morton  to  assist  me." 

Massan  stepped  upon  an  elevated  rock,  and,  shading 
his  eyes  with  his  hands,  looked  earnestly  ahead  where  he 
observed  the  little  canoe  almost  beyond  vision,  and  just 
going  to  double  a  point  of  land.  Transferring  his  hands 
to  his  mouth,  he  used  them  as  a  trumpet,  and  gave 
forth  a  shout,  the  like  of  which  had  never  startled  the 
echoes  of  the  place  before. 

"  It's  no  use,  sir,"  said  Massan  ;  "  he's  past  hearin'.  I'm 
afeerd  that  they're  off  in  the  direction  o'  the  White  Bear 
Hills,  in  hopes  o'  gittin'  a  shot." 

"  Try  again  Massan,"  urged  Stanley  ;  "  raise  your  pipe 
a  little  higher.  Perhaps  it  will  reach  them." 

Massan  shook  his  head.  "  Try  it,  Bryan,"  he  said, 
turning  to  the  Irishman,  who  was  sitting  on  a  rock  lei 
surely  filling  his  short  black  pipe. 

"  Is  it  to  halloo,  ye  want  me  ?  "  replied  Bryan,  rising. 
"  Shure  the  great  gun  of  Athlone  itself  could  niver  hold 
a  candle  to  ye,  Massan,  at  yellin' ;  but  I'll  try  anyhow  "  ; 


UNGAVA.  81 

and  putting  his  hands  to  his  mouth  he  gave  forth  a  roar, 
compared  to  which  Hassan's  was  nothing.  There  was  a 
sort  of  crack  in  the  tone  of  it,  however,  that  was  so 
irresistibly  ridiculous  that  the  whole  party  burst  inconti 
nently  into  a  fit  of  laughter.  Loud  though  it  was,  it 
failed  to  reach  the  ears  of  those  in  the  little  canoe,  which, 
in  a  few  seconds,  doubled  the  point  and  disappeared. 

"  Ah  !  bad  luck  to  it !  "  said  Bryan,  in  disgust ;  "  the 
pipe's  damaged  intirely.  Small  pace  to  ye,  Bob  Mahone ; 
for  shure  it  was  howlin'  and  screechin'  at  your  wake 
like  a  born  scrandighowl  that  broke  it." 

"  Never  mind,  lad,  what  remains  of  it  is  not  bad,"  said 
Stanley,  laughing,  as  he  proceeded  to  open  the  box  con 
taining  his  scientific  instruments. 

Meanwhile  his  wife  and  Edith  wandered  along  the 
rocks  picking  up  shells  and  pebbles  ;  and  the  men  dis 
persed,  some  to  smoke  and  chat,  others  to  search  for  eggs. 
Bryan  and  La  Roche,  who  were  both  aspiring  geniuses, 
and  had  formed  a  sort  of  rough  attachment  to  each  other, 
asked  permission  to  take  a  walk  to  the  point  ahead,  where 
they  would  wait  for  the  canoes.  Having  obtained  it, 
they  set  off  at  a  good  round  pace,  that  would  have  been 
"  throublesome  to  kape  up,"  as  Bryan  remarked,  "  with 
payse  in  yer  shoes  !  " 

'•Why  you  come  for  to  jine  de  company?"  inquired 
La  Roche,  as  they  jogged  along. 

"  Why  ?  bekase  I'd  nothin'  else  to  do,  as  the  ould  song 
says.  Ye  see,  Losh,"  (Bryan  had  invented  a  contraction 
for  his  friend's  name,  which  he  said  was  convanient,) — 
"  Ye  see,  Losh,  there  may  be  more  nor  wan  raison  for  a 
gintleman  lavin'  his  native  land,  in  order  to  thravel  in 
furrin'  parts.  It's  thrue  I  had  nothin'  in  the  univarse  to 
do,  for  I  could  niver  git  work  nohow,  an'  whin  I  got  it  I 
6 


82  UNGAVA. 

could  nivcr  kape  it.  I  niver  could  onderstan'  why  ;  but 
so  it  was.  Nivertheless  I  managed  to  live  well  enough 
in  the  ould  cabin  wid  the  murphies — " 

"  Vat  is  murphies  ?  "  inquired  La  Roche. 

"  Bliss  yer  innocent  face,  don't  ye  know  it's  praties?" 

"  Ti.s  vat  ?  " 

"  Praties,  boy,  or  pit-taties,  if  I  must  be  partic'lar." 

"  Ah  !  goot,  goot,  I  understan'  pettitoes —  oui,  oui ;  ve 
call  him  pomme  de  terre" 

"  Hum  !  well,  as  I  was  sayin',  I  got  on  pretty  well  wid 
the  pumdeterres  an'  the  pig,  but  the  pig  died  wan  day — 
choked  hisself  on  a  murphy,  that  is,  a  pumbleterre  ;  an' 
more  betoken,  it  was  the  last  murphy  in  the  house,  a 
powerful  big  wan,  that  my  grandmother  had  put  by  for 
supper.  After  this  ivery  thin'  wint  to  smithereens.  The 
rot  came,  and  I  thought  I  should  have  to  list  for  a  sodger. 
Well,  Bob  Mahone  died  o'  dhrink  and  starvation,  an' 
we  had  a  beautiful  wake  ;  but  there  was  a  riglar  shindy 
got  up,  an'  two  or  three  o'  the  country  p'lice  misbehaved 
themselves,  so  I  jist  floored  them  all,  wan  after  the  other, 
an'  bolted.  AVell,  I  wint  straight  to  Dublin,  an'  there  I 
met  wid  an  ould  friend  who  was  the  skipper  o'  a  ship 
bound  for  New  York.  Says  he,  'Bryan,  will  ye  go?' 
Says  I,  '  Av  coorse  ; '  an'  shure  enough  I  wint,  an'  got 
over  the  say  to  'Meriky.  But  I  could  niver  settle  down, 
so,  wan  way  or  another,  I  came  at  last  to  Montreal  and 
j'ined  the  Company  ;  an'  afther  knockin'  about  in  the 
Columbia  and  Mackenzie's  River  for  some  years,  I  was 
sint  to  Moose,  an'  here  I  am,  Losh,  yer  sarvant  to  com 
mand." 

"  Goot,  ver'  goot,  mais,  peculiaire,"  said  La  Roche, 
whose  intimacy  with  this  son  of  Erin  had  enabled  him  to 
comprehend  enough  of  his  jargon  to  grasp  the  general 
scope  of  his  discourse. 


UXGAVA.  83 

"  Av  ye  inane  that  lavin'  the  oukl  country  was  goot" 
said  Bryan,  stooping  to  pick  up  a  stone  and  skim  it  along 
the  smooth  surface  of  the  sea,  "  p'raps  ye're  right,  but 
there's  wan  thing  I  niver  could  make  my  mind  aisy 
about;"  and  the  blacksmith's  voice  became  deep  and  his 
face  grave,  as  he  recalled  these  bygone  days. 

"  Vat  were  dat  ?  "  inquired  La  Roche. 

"  Why  ye  see,  Losh,  I  was  so  hard  druve  by  the  p'lice, 
that  I  was  forced  to  lave  widout  sayin'  good  day  to  my 
ould  mother,  an'  they  tould  me  it  almost  broke  her 
heart ; — but  I've  had  wan  or  two  screeds  from  the  priest 
wid  her  cross  at  them  since,  and  she's  got  over  it,  an' 
lookin'  out  for  my  returning — bliss  her  sowl ! — an'  I've 
sint  her  five  pounds  ivery  year  since  I  left ;  so  ye  see, 
Losh,  I've  great  hope  o'  seein'  her  yit,  for  although  she's 
oukl,  she's  oncommon  tough,  an'  having  come  o'  a  long- 
winded  stock,  I've  great  hopes  of  her." 

Poor  Bryan,  it  never  entei'ed  into  his  reckless  brain  to 
think  that,  considering  the  life  of  almost  constant  peril  he 
led  in  the  land  of  his  pilgrimage,  there  was  more  hope  of 
the  longevity  of  his  old  mother  than  of  himself.  Like 
many  of  his  countrymen,  he  was  a  man  of  strong,  pas 
sionate,  warm  feelings,  and  remarkably  unselfish. 

"  Is  your  contry  resemblance  to  dat  ? "  inquired  La 
Roche,  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  towards  the  sea,  which  was 
covered  with  fields  and  mountains  of  ice  as  far  out  as  the 
eye  could  discern. 

"  Be  the  nose  o'  my  great-grandmother  (an'  that  was 
be  no  manes  a  short  wan)  no  ! "  replied  Bryan,  with  a 
laugh.  "  The  say  that  surrounds  ould  Ireland  is  niver 
covered  with  sich  sugar  plums,  as  these.  But  what  have 
we  here  ?  " 

As  he  spoke  they  reached  the  point  at  which  they 


84  UXGAVA. 

were  to  await  the  coming  up  of  the  canoes,  and  the  object 
which  called  forth  Bryan's  remark  was  the  little  canoe, 
which  lay  empty  on  the  beach  just  beyond  the  point. 
From  the  manner  in  which  it  lay  it  was  evident  that 
Frank  and  his  Indians  had  placed  it  there,  but  there 
was  no  sign  of  their  presence  save  one  or  two  foot-prints 
on  the  sand.  While  La  Roche  was  examining  these,  his 
companion  walked  towards  a  point  of  rock  that  jutted  out 
from  the  cliffs  and  intercepted  the  view  beyond.  On 
turning  round  this,  he  became  suddenly  rooted  to  the 
spot  with  horror.  And  little  wonder,  for  just  two  yards 
before  him  stood  an  enormous  polar  bear,  whose  career 
was  suddenly  arrested  by  Bryan's  unexpected  appear 
ance.  It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  the  man  or  the  beast 
expressed  most  surprise  at  the  rencounter.  They  both 
stood  stock-still,  and  opened  their  eyes  to  the  utmost 
width.  But  the  poor  Irishman  was  evidently  petrified 
by  the  apparition.  He  turned  deadly  pale,  and  his  hands 
hung  idly  by  his  sides  ;  while  the  bear,  recovering  from 
his  surprise,  rose  on  his  hind  legs,  and  walked  up  to 
him, — a  sure  sign  that  he  was  quite  undaunted,  and  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  give  battle.  As  for  La  Roche,  the 
instant  he  cast  his  eyes  on  the  ferocious-looking  quadru 
ped,  he  uttered  a  frightful  yell,  bounded  towards  a  neigh 
boring  tree,  and  ceased  not  to  ascend  until  its  topmost 
branches  were  bending  beneath  his  weight.  Meanwhile 
the  bear  walked  up  to  Bryan  ;  but  not  meeting  with  the 
anticipated  grapple  of  an  enemy,  and  feeling  somewhat 
uneasy  under  the  cataleptic  stare  of  the  poor  man's 
eyes, — for  he  still  stood  petrified  with  horror, — it  walked 
slowly  round  him,  putting  its  cold  nose  on  his  cheek,  as 
if  to  tempt  him  to  move.  But  the  five  minutes  of  bewil 
derment  that  always  preceded  Bryan's  recovery  from  a 


UXGAVA.  85 

sudden  fright  had  not  yet  expired.  He  still  remained  per 
fectly  motionless,  so  that  the  bear  disdaining,  apparently, 
to  attack  an  unresisting  foe,  dropt  on  his  fore  legs  again. 
It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  there  is  any  truth  in  the 
well-known  opinion,  that  the  calm,  steady  gaze  of  a 
human  eye  can  quell  any  animal.  Doubtless  there  are 
many  stories,  more  or  less  authentic,  corroborative  of  the 
fact,  but  whether  this  be  true  or  no,  we  are  ready  to 
vouch  for  the  truth  of  this  fact, — namely,  that  under  the 
influence  of  the  blacksmith's  gaze,  or  his  silence,  it  may 
be,  the  bear  was  absolutely  discomfited.  It  retreated  a 
step  or  two,  and  walked  slowly  away,  looking  over  its 
shoulder  now  and  then  as  it  went,  as  if  it  half  anticipated 
an  onslaught  in  the  rear. 

"We  have  already  said  that  Bryan  was  no  craven,  and 
that  when  his  faculties  were  collected,  he  usually  dis 
played  a  good  deal  of  reckless  valor  on  occasions  of  dan 
ger.  Accordingly,  no  sooner  did  he  see  his  shaggy 
adversary  in  full  retreat,  than  the  truant  blood  returned 
to  his  face  with  a  degree  of  violence  that  caused  it  to 
blaze  with  fiery  red,  and  swelled  the  large  veins  of  his 
neck  and  forehead  almost  to  bursting.  Uttering  a  truly 
Irish  halloo,  he  bounded  forward  like  a  tiger,  tore  the 
cap  off  his  head  and  flung  it  violently  before  him,  drew 
the  axe  which  always  hung  at  his  belt,  and,  in  another 
moment,  stood  face  to  face  with  the  white  monster,  which 
had  instantly  accepted  the  challenge,  and  rose  on  its  hind 
legs  to  receive  him.  Eaising  the  axe  with  both  hands, 
the  man  aimed  a  blow  at  the  bear's  head,  but  with  a  rapid 
movement  of  its  paw,  it  turned  the  weapon  aside,  and 
dashed  it  into  the  air.  Another  such  blow,  and  the  reck 
less  blacksmith's  career  would  have  been  brought  to  an 
abrupt  conclusion,  when  the  crack  of  a  rifle  was  heard. 


86  UXGAVA. 

Its  echo  reverberated  along  the  cliffs  and  floated  over  the 
calm  water  as  the  polar  bear  fell  dead  at  Bryan's  feet. 

"Hurrah!"  shouted  Frank  Morton,  as  he  sprang  from 
the  bushes,  knife  in  hand,  ready  to  finish  the  work  which 
his  rifle  had  so  well  begun.  But  it  needed  not.  Frank 
had  hit  the  exact  spot  behind  the  ear  which  renders  a 
second  ball  unnecessary, — the  bear  was  already  quite 
dead. 


UNGAVA.  87 


CHAPTER  IX. 

A  STORM   BREWING—  TT    BURSTS  AND   PRODUCES   CONSEQUENCES— 
THE  1'AKTY  TAKE  TO  THE  WATER  PER  FORCE— ALL  SAVED. 

All !  Bryan,  '  a  friend  in  need,  is  a  friend  indeed,' " 
said  Frank,  as  he  sat  on  a  rock,  watching  the  black 
smith  and  his  two  Indians  while  they  performed  the  oper 
ation  of  skinning  the  bear,  whose  timely  destruction  has 
been  related  in  the  last  chapter.  "  I  must  say  I  never 
saw  a  man  stand  his  ground  so  well,  with  a  brute  like 
that  stealing  kisses  from  his  cheek.  Were  they  sweet, 
Bryan  ?  Did  they  remind  you  of  the  fair  maid  of 
Deny,  hey  ?  " 

"Ah!  thrue  for  ye,"  replied  the  blacksmith,  as  he 
stepped  to  a  rock  for  the  purpose  of  whetting  his  knife ; 
"  yer  honor  was  just  in  time  to  save  me  a  power  o' 
throuble.  Bad  skran  to  the  baste  !  it  would  have  taken 
three  or  four  rounds  at  laste  to  have  finished  him  nately 
off,  for  there's  no  end  o'  fat  on  his  ribs  that  would  have 
kep'  the  knife  from  goin'  far  in." 

Frank  laughed  at  this  free-and-easy  way  of  looking  at 
it.  "  So  you  think  you  would  have  killed  him,  do  you, 
if  I  had  not  saved  you  the  trouble  ?  " 

"  Av  coorse  I  do.  Shure,  a  man  is  better  than  a 
baste  any  day ;  and  besides,  had  I  not  a  frind  at  my 
back  ridy  to  help  me  ?  "  Bryan  cast  a  comical  leer  at 
La  Roche  as  he  said  this,  and  the  poor  Frenchman 
blushed,  for  he  felt  that  his  conduct  in  the  affair  had 


88  UXGAVA. 

not  been  very  praiseworthy.  It  is  due  to  La  Roche  to 
say,  however,  that  no  sooner  had  he  found  himself  at 
the  top  of  the  tree,  and  had  a  moment  to  reflect,  than  he 
slid  rapidly  to  the  bottom  again,  and  ran  to  the  assistance 
of  his  friend,  not,  however,  in  time  to  render  such  assist 
ance  available,  as  he  came  up  just  at  the  moment  the 
bear  fell. 

In  half  an  hour  afterwards  the  two  large  canoes  came 
up,  and  Bryan  and  his  little  friend  had  to  undergo  a 
rapid  fire  of  witticism  from  their  surprised  and  highly 
amused  comrades.  Even  Moses  was  stirred  up  to  say 
that  "  Bryan,  him  do  pratty  well ;  he  most  good  'nuff 
to  make  an  Eskimo  !  " 

Having  embarked  the  skin  of  the  bear,  the  canoes 
once  more  resumed  their  usual  order  and  continued  on 
their  way.  The  carcass  of  the  bear,  being  useless  for 
food,  was  left  for  the  wolves  ;  and  the  claws,  which  were 
nearly  as  large  as  a  man's  finger,  were  given  by  Frank 
to  the  blacksmith,  that  he  might  make  them  into  a  neck 
lace,  as  the  Indians  do,  and  keep  it  in  remembrance  of 
his  rencounter. 

But  the  weather  was  now  beginning  to  change.  Dick 
Prince,  whose  black  eye  was  ever  roving  about  observ 
antly,  told  Massan  that  a  storm  was  brewing,  and  that 
the  sooner  he  put  ashore  in  a  convenient  spot  the  better. 
But  Stanley  was  anxious  to  get  on,  having  a  long  jour 
ney  before  him  at  the  termination  of  which  there  would 
be  little  enough  time  to  erect  a  sufficient  protection 
against  the  winter  of  the  north ;  so  he  continued  to  ad 
vance  along  shore  until  they  came  to  a  point  beyond 
which  there  was  a  very  deep  bay  that  would  take  them 
many  hours  to  coast.  By  making  a  traverse,  however, 
in  a  direct  line^o  the  next  point,  they  might  cross  it  in  a 
much  shorter  time. 


UNGAVA.  89 

"  How  say  you,  Prince,  shall  we  cross  ?  "  asked  Stan 
ley,  as  they  rested  on  their  paddles,  and  cast  furtive 
glances  up  at  the  dark  clouds  and  across  the  still  quiet 
bay. 

Prince  shook  his  head.  "  I  fear  we  won't  have  time 
to  cross.  The  clouds  are  driving  too  fast  and  growin' 
black." 

';  Well,  then,  we  had  better  encamp,"  said  Stanley. 
"  Is  there  a  proper  place,  Massan,  hereabouts  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  the  guide.  "  The  stones  on  the 
beach  are  the  only  pillows  within  six  miles  o'  us." 

"  PIo  !  then,  forward  boys,  make  a  bold  push  for  it ;  " 
cried  Stanley,  "  if  it  does  begin  to  blow  before  we're 
over,  we  can  run  back  again  at  all  events." 

In  another  moment  the  canoes  swept  out  to  sea,  and 
made  for  the  point  far  ahead  like  race-horses.  Although 
the  clouds  continued  to  gather,  the  wind  did  not  rise, 
and  it  seemed  as  though  they  would  get  over  easily,  when 
a  sudden  gust  came  off  the  shore,  a  direction  whence, 
from  the  appearance  of  the  clouds,  it  had  not  been  ex 
pected  ;  ruffling  the  surface  of  the  water  for  a  few  sec 
onds,  it  passed  away. 

"  Give  way,  boys,  give  way,"  cried  Massan,  using  his 
large  steering  paddle  with  a  degree  of  energy  that  sent 
the  canoe  plunging  forward.  "  We  can't  go  back,  an'  if 
the  storm  bursts  off  the  shore " 

A  loud  peal  of  thunder  drowned  the  remainder  of  the 
sentence,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  wind  that  had  been 
dreaded  came  whistling  violently  off  the  shore  and  cov 
ered  the  sea  with  foam.  The  waves  soon  began  to  rise, 
and  ere  long  the  frail  barks,  which  were  ill  calculated  to 
weather  a  storm,  were  careering  over  them  and  shipping 
water  at  every  plunge. 


90  UXGAVA. 

It  now  became  a  matter  of  life  and  death  with  them 
that  they  should  gain  the  point,  for,  deeply  loaded  as  they 
were,  it  was  impossible  that  they  could  float  long  in  such 
a  sea.  It  is  true  that  a  wind  off  the  shore  does  not  usu 
ally  raise  what  sailors  would  consider  much  of  a  sea,  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that,  although  it  was  off  shore, 
the  bay  which  they  were  crossing  extended  far  inland,  so 
that  the  gale  had  a  wide  sweep  of  water  to  act  upon  be 
fore  it  reached  them.  Besides  this,  as  has  already  been 
explained,  canoes  are  not  like  boats.  Their  timbers  are 
weak,  the  bark  of  which  they  are  made  is  thin,  the  gum 
which  makes  their  seams  tight  is  easily  knocked  off  in 
cold  water,  and  in  short,  they  cannot  face  a  sea  on  which 
a  boat  might  ride  like  a  sea-gull. 

For  a  considerable  time  the  men  strained  every  nerve 
to  gain  the  wished-for  point  of  land,  but  with  so  little 
success  that  it  became  evident  they  would  never  reach  it. 
The  men  began  to  show  signs  of  flagging,  and  cast  un 
easy  glances  towards  Stanley,  as  if  they  had  lost  all  hope 
of  accomplishing  their  object,  and  waited  for  him  to  sug 
gest  what  they  should  do.  Poor  Mrs.  Stanley  sat  holding 
on  to  the  gunwale  with  one  hand  and  clasping  Edith 
round  the  waist  with  the  other,  as  she  gazed  wistfully 
towards  the  cape  ahead,  which  was  now  almost  lost  to 
view  under  the  shadow  of  a  dark  cloud  that  rolled  tow 
ards  them  like  a  black  pall  laden  with  destruction. 

"  God  help  us  !  "  murmured  Stanley,  in  an  undertone, 
as  he  scanned  the  seaward  horizon,  which  was  covered 
with  leaden  clouds  and  streaks  of  lurid  light,  beneath 
which  the  foaming  sea  leaped  furiously. 

"  Call  upon  me  in  the  time  of  trouble,  and  I  will 
deliver  thee,"  said  Mrs.  Stanley,  who  overheard  the  ex 
clamation. 


UXGAVA.  91 

Stanley  either  heard  her  not  or  his  mind  was  too 
deeply  concentrated  on  the  critical  nature  of  their  posi 
tion  to  make  any  reply.  As  she  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands,  Edith  threw  her  trembling  arms  round  her  mother 
and  hid  her  face  in  her  bosom.  Even  Chimo  seemed  to 
understand  their  danger,  for  he  crept  closer  to  the  side 
of  his  young  mistress  and  whined  in  a  low  tone,  as  if  in 
sympathy.  The  waves  had  now  increased  to  such  a 
degree  that  it  required  two  of  the  men  to  bale  incessantly 
in  order  to  prevent  their  being  swamped,  and  as  Stanley 
cast  a  hurried  glance  at  the  other  canoes,  which  were 
not  far  off,  he  observed  that  it  was  as  much  as  they  could 
do  to  keep  afloat.  "  Could  we  not  run  back,  Massan  ?  " 
asked  Stanley,  in  despair. 

"  Unposs'ble,  sir,"  replied  the  guide,  whose  voice  was 
almost  drowned  by  the  whistling  of  the  wind.  "  "We're 
more  nor  halfway  over,  an'  it  would  only  blow  us  farther 
out  to  sea  if  we  was  to  try." 

While  the  guide  spoke,  Stanley  was  gazing  earnestly 
in  the  direction  of  the  horizon. 

"  Round  with  you,  Massan,"  he  exclaimed  suddenly ; 
"  put  the  canoe  about  and  paddle  straight  out  to  sea. 
Hallo  !  "  he  shouted  to  the  other  canoes,  "  follow  us  out 
to  sea, — straight  out." 

The  men  looked  aghast  at  this  extraordinary  order. 
"  Look  alive,  lads,"  continued  their  leader ;  "  I  see  an 
island  away  there  to  leeward.  Perhaps  it's  only  a  rock, 
but  any  way  it's  our  only  chance." 

The  canoes'  heads  were  turned  round,  and,  in  another 
moment,  they  were  driving  swiftly  before  the  wind  in  the 
direction  of  the  open  sea. 

"  Right,  right,"  murmured  Dick  Prince,  as  they  made 
towards  this  new  source  of  hope — "  mayhap  it's  only  a 
bit  o'  ice,  but  even  that's  better  than  nothin'." 


92 

"  If  'tis  only  ice,"  cried  La  Roche,  "  ve  have  ver' 
pauvre  chance  at  all." 

"  Shure  an'  if  we  are  to  go  ashore  at  all,  at  all,"  said 
Bryan,  whose  spirits  had  suddenly  risen  with  this  gleam 
of  hope  from  fifty  degrees  below  to  fifty  above  zero — '•  if 
we  are  to  go  ashore  at  all,  at  all,  it's  better  to  land  on  the 
ice  than  on  the  wather." 

With  such  a  breeze  urging  them  on,  the  three  canoes 
soon  approached  what  appeared  to  be  a  low  sand-bank, 
on  which  the  sea  was  dashing  in  white  foam.  But,  from 
the  tossing  of  the  waves  between  them  and  the  beach,  it 
was  difficult  to  form  a  conjecture  as  to  its  size.  Indeed, 
at  times  they  could  scarcely  see  it  at  all,  owing  to  the 
darkness  of  the  day  and  the  heavy  rain  which  began  to 
fall  just  as  they  approached ;  and  more  than  once  Stan 
ley's  heart  sank  when  he  lost  sight  of  the  bank,  and  he 
began  to  think  that  he  had  made  a  mistake,  and  that  they 
were  actually  flying  out  to  the  deep  sea,  in  which  case 
all  hope  would  be  gone  forever.  But  God's  mercy  was 
extended  to  them  in  this  hour  of  peril.  The  island  ap 
peared  to  grow  larger  as  they  neared  it,  and  at  last  they 
were  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  shore.  But  a  new 
danger  assailed  them  here.  The  largest  canoe,  which 
neared  the  island  first,  had  begun  to  leak,  and  took  in 
water  so  fast  that  the  utmost  efforts  of  those  who  baled 
could  not  keep  it  under,  and  from  the  quantity  that  was 
now  shipped  they  made  very  little  way.  To  add  to  the 
horror  of  the  scene,  the  sky  became  very  dark,  and  an 
other  crash  of  thunder  pealed  forth  accompanied  by  a 
blinding  flash  of  lightning. 

"  Paddle,  boys,  paddle  for  your  lives !  "  cried  Stanley, 
throwing  off  his  coat,  and  seizing  a  tin  dish  with  which 
he  began  to  throw  out  the  water. 


UNGAVA.  93 

The  canoe  rose  on  a  huge  wave  which  broke  all  round 
it.  This  nearly  filled  it  with  Avater  and  carried  it  tow 
ards  the  shore  with  such  velocity  that  it  seemed  as  if 
they  should  be  dashed  in  pieces  ;  but  they  fell  back  into 
the  trough  of  the  sea,  and  lay  motionless  like  a  heavy 
log,  and  in  a  sinking  condition. 

"  Now,  lads,  look  out  for  the  next  wave,  and  give 
way  with  a  will,"  cried  Massan.  The  worthy  steers 
man  acted  rather  too  energetically  on  his  own  advice, 
for  he  dipped  his  paddle  with  such  force  that  it  snapt 
in  two. 

"  Be  ready  to  jump  out,"  cried  Dick  Prince,  stand 
ing  up  in  the  bow  in  order  to  give  more  power  to  his 
strokes. 

As  he  spoke,  Stanley  turned  to  his  wife  and  said, 
"  Jessie,  hold  on  by  my  collar,  I'll  take  Eda  in  my  arms." 
At  that  instant  the  canoe  gave  a  lurch,  and,  before  Stan 
ley  could  grasp  his  child,  they  were  all  struggling  in  the 
sea !  At  this  awful  moment,  instead  of  endeavoring  to 
do  as  her  husband  directed,  Mrs.  Stanley  instinctively 
threw  her  arms  around  Edith,  and,  while  the  waves  were 
boiling  over  her,  she  clasped  the  child  tightly  to  her 
bosom  with  her  left  arm,  while  with  her  right  she  en 
deavored  to  raise  herself  to  the  surface.  Twice  she  suc 
ceeded,  and  twice  she  sank,  when  a  box  of  merchandise 
providentially  struck  her  arm.  Seizing  this,  she  raised 
herself  above  the  water,  and  poor  Edith  gasped  convul 
sively  once  or  twice  for  air.  Then  the  box  was  wrenched 
from  her  grasp  by  a  wave,  and,  with  a  wild  shriek,  she 
sank  again.  Just  then,  a  strong  arm  was  thrown  around 
her — her  feet  touched  the  ground,  and,  in  a  few  seconds, 
she  was  dragged  violently  from  the  roaring  waves  and 
fell  exhausted  on  the  beach. 


94 

"  Thanks  be  to  God  we  are  saved  !  "  murmured  Mrs. 
Stanley,  as  her  husband  assisted  her  to  rise  and  led  her 
beyond  the  reach  of  the  waves,  while  Edith  still  clung 
with  a  deadly  grasp  to  her  mother's  neck. 

"  Ay,  Jessie,  thank  God  indeed.  But  for  his  mercy 
we  should  have  all  been  lost.  I  was  floundering  about 
beside  the  canoe  when  your  scream  showed  me  where 
you  were,  and  enabled  me  to  save  you.  But  rest  here, 
in  the  lee  of  this  bale.  I  cannot  stay  by  you.  Frank  is 
in  danger  still." 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  he  sprang  from  her  side 
and  hurried  down  to  the  beach.  Here  everything  was 
in  the  utmost  confusion.  The  two  large  canoes  had  been 
saved  and  dragged  out  of  the  reach  of  the  waves,  and 
the  men  were  struggling  in  the  boiling  surf  to  rescue 
the  baggage  and  provisions,  on  which  latter  their  very 
lives  depended.  As  Stanley  reached  the  scene  of  action, 
he  observed  several  of  the  men  watching  the  small  canoe 
which  contained  Frank  and  his  two  Indians.  It  had 
been  left  some  distance  behind  by  the  others,  and  was 
nowr  approaching  with  arrow  speed  on  the  summit  of  a 
large  wave.  Suddenly  the  top  of  the  billow  curled  over, 
and  in  another  moment  the  canoe  was  turned  bottom  up ! 
Like  a  cork  it  danced  on  the  wave's  white  crest ;  then, 
falling  beneath  the  thundering  mass  of  water,  it  was 
crushed  to  pieces  and  cast  empty  upon  the  beach.  But 
Frank  and  his  men  swam  like  otters,  and  the  party  on 
shore  watched  them  with  anxious  looks  as  they  breasted 
manfully  over  the  billows.  At  last  a  towering  wave 
came  rolling  majestically  forward.  It  caught  the  three 
swimmers  in  its  rough  embrace,  and  carrying  them  along 
on  its  crest,  launched  them  on  the  beach,  where  it  left 
them  struggling  with,  the  retreating  water.  Those  who 


UNGAVA.  95 

have  bathed  in  rough  weather  on  an  exposed  coast  know 
well  how  difficult  it  is  to  regain  a  firm  footing  on  loose 
sand  while  a  heavy  wave  is  sweeping  backward  into  its 
parent  ocean.  Frank  and  the  two  Indians  experienced 
this ;  and  they  might  have  struggled  there  till  their 
strength  had  been  exhausted,  were  it  not  for  Stanley, 
Prince,  and  Massan,  who  rushed  simultaneously  into  the 
water  and  rescued  them. 

As  the  whole  party  had  now,  by  the  goodness  of  God, 
reached  the  land  in  safety,  they  turned  their  undivided 
energies  towards  the  bales  and  boxes  which  were  rolling 
about  in  the  surf.  Many  of  these  had  been  already  col 
lected,  and  were  carried  to  the  spot  where  Mrs.  Stanley 
and  Edith  lay  under  the  shelter  of  a  bale.  As  the 
things  were  successively  brought  up,  they  were  piled 
around  the  mother  and  child,  who  soon  found  themselves 
pretty  well  sheltered  from  the  wind,  though  not  from  the 
rain,  which  still  fell  in  torrents.  Soon  after,  Frank  came 
to  them,  and  said  that  all  the  things  were  saved,  and 
that  it  was  time  to  think  of  getting  up  some  sort  of  shel 
ter  for  the  night.  This  was  very  much  needed,  for  poor 
Edith  was  beginning  to  shiver  from  the  wet  and  cold. 

"  Now,  then,  Francois,  Massan,"  shouted  Frank,  "  lend 
a  hand  here  to  build  a  house  for  Eda.  We'll  be  all  as 
snug  as  need  be  in  a  few  minutes." 

Despite  the  cold  and  her  recent  terror,  the  poor  child 
could  not  help  smiling  at  the  idea  of  building  a  house  in 
a  few  minutes,  and  it  was  with  no  little  curiosity  that  she 
watched  the  operations  of  the  men.  Meanwhile  Mr. 
Stanley  brought  some  wine  in  a  pannikin,  and  made 
Edith  and  his  wife  drink  a  little.  This  revived  them 
greatly,  and  as  the  rain  had  now  almost  ceased,  they 
rose  and  endeavored  to  wring  the  water  out  of  their  gar- 


96  UNGAVA. 

ments.  In  less  than  half  an  hour  the  men  piled  the 
bales  and  boxes  in  front  of  the  largest  canoe,  which  was 
turned  bottom  up,  and  secured  firmly  in  that  position  by 
an  embankment  of  sand.  Over  the  top  of  all,  three  oil 
cloths  were  spread  and  lashed  down,  thus  forming  a  com 
plete  shelter,  large  enough  to  contain  the  whole  party. 
At  one  end  of  this  curious  house  Mr.  Stanley  made  a 
separate  apartment  for  his  wife  and  child,  by  placing 
two  large  bales  and  a  box  as  a  partition  ;  and  within 
this  little  space  Edith  soon  became  very  busy  in  arrang 
ing  things,  and  "putting  the  house  to  rights,"  as  she  said, 
as  long  as  the  daylight  lasted,  for  after  it  went  away  they 
had  neither  candles  nor  fire,  as  the  former  had  been 
soaked  and  broken,  and  as  for  the  latter,  no  wood  could 
be  found  on  the  island.  The  men's  clothes  were,  of 
course,  quite  wet,  so  they  cut  open  a  bale  of  blankets, 
which  had  not  been  so  much  soaked  as  the  other  goods, 
having  been  among  the  first  things  that  were  washed 
ashore. 

At  the  time  they  were  wrecked  the  dashing  spray  and 
the  heavy  rain,  together  with  the  darkness  of  the  day, 
had  prevented  the  shipwrecked  voyageurs  from  ascer 
taining  the  nature  of  the  island  on  which  they  had  been 
cast ;  and  as  the  night  closed  in  while  they  were  yet  en 
gaged  in  the  erection  of  their  temporary  shelter,  they 
had  to  lie  down  to  rest  in  ignorance  on  this  point.  After 
such  a  day  of  unusual  fatigue  and  excitement,  they  all 
felt  more  inclined  for  rest  than  food, — so,  instead  of  taking 
supper,  they  all  lay  down  huddled  together  under  the  ca 
noe,  and  slept  soundly,  while  the  angry  winds  whistled 
round  them,  and  the  great  sea  roared  and  lashed  itself 
into  foam  on  the  beach,  as  if  disappointed  that  the  little 
band  of  adventurers  had  escaped,  and  were  now  beyond 
the  reach  of  its  impotent  fury. 


UXGAVA.  97 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  SAND-BANK—DISMAL  PROSPECTS— CONSULTATIONS— INTERNAL 
ARRANGEMENTS  EXPOSED  AND  DETAILED. 

OF  all  the  changes  that  constantly  vary  the  face  of ' 
nature,  the  calm  that  succeeds  a  storm  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful,  and  the  most  agreeable,  perhaps,  to  the 
feelings  of  man.  Few  conditions  of  nature  convey  to 
the  mind  more  thoroughly  the  idea  of  complete  repose, 
— of  deep  rest  after  mortal  strife, — of  sleep  after  ex 
hausting  toil ; — and  those  who  have  passed  through  the 
violence  of  the  storm  and  done  battle  with  its  dangers 
are,  by  the  physical  rest  which  they  enjoy  after  it  is  over, 
the  more  fitted  to  appreciate  and  sympathize  with  the  re 
pose  which  reigns  around  them. 

When  the  sun  rose,  on  the  morning  after  the  storm,  it 
shone  upon  a  scene  so  calm  and  beautiful,  so  utterly  un 
connected  with  anything  like  the  sin  of  a  fallen  world, 
and  so  typical,  in  its  deep  tranquillity,  of  the  mind  of 
Him  who  created  it,  that  it  seemed  almost  possible  for  a 
moment  to  fancy  that  the  promised  land  was  gained  at 
last,  and  that  all  the  dark  clouds,  the  storms  and  dangers, 
the  weary  journeyings,  and  the  troubles  of  the  wilderness, 
were  past  and  gone/forever.  So  glorious  was  the  scene, 
that  when  Edith,  rising  from  her  rude  couch,  and  step 
ping  over  the  prostrate  forms  of  her  still  slumbering 
companions,  issued  from  the  shelter  of  the  canoe  and 
cast  her  eyes  abroad  upon  the  glassy  sea,  she  could  not 


98  UNGAVA. 

restrain  her  feelings,  and  uttered  a  thrilling  shout  of  joy 
"that  floated  over  the  waters  and  reverberated  among  the 
glittering  crags  of  the  surrounding  icebergs. 

The  island  on  which  the  travellers  had  been  cast  was 
a  mere  knoll  of  sand, — not  more  than  a  few  hundred 
yards  in  circumference,  that  scarcely  raised  its  rounded 
summit  above  the  level  of  the  water,  and  at  full  tide  was 
reduced  to  a  mere  speck,  utterly  destitute  of  vegetation. 
The  sea  around  it  was  now  smooth  and  clear  as  glass, 
though  undulated  by  a  long,  regular  swell,  which  rolled, 
at  slow,  solemn  intervals,  in  majestic  waves  towards  the 
sand-bank,  where  they  hovered  for  a  moment  in  curved 
walls  of  dark-green  water,  then,  lipping  over  at  their 
crests,  fell  in  a  roar  of  foam  that  hissed  a  deep  sigh  on 
the  pebbles  of  the  beach  and  left  the  silence  greater  than 
before.  Masses  of  ice  floated  here  and  there  on  the  sur 
face  of  the  deep,  the  edges  and  fantastic  points  of  which 
were  tipped  with  light.  Nor  far  from  the  northern  ex 
tremity  of  the  sand-bank  a  large  iceberg  had  grounded, 
from  the  sides  of  which  several  pinnacles  had  been 
hurled  by  the  shock,  and  now  lay  stranded  on  the  beach. 

The  shout  with  which  Edith  had  welcomed  the  morn 
ing  roused  the  whole  party,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they 
were  all  assembled  outside  of  their  little  hut,  some  ad 
miring  the  scene,  others — of  a  less  enthusiastic  and  more 
practical  turn— examining  the  circumstances  of  their  po 
sition,  and  considering  the  best  course  that  should  be 
pursued  in  their  difficulty. 

Mr.  Stanley,  Dick  Prince,  and  Massan,  as  was  their 
wont,  held  a  council  upon  the  existing  state  of  things, 
and,  after  much  gazing  round  at  the  sea  and  up  at  the 
sky,  and  considerable  grunting  of  his  deep  voice  and  rub 
bing  of  his  capacious  chin  on  the  part  of  the  latter,  he 


UNGAVA.  99 

turned  to  Dick  Prince,  as  if  appealing  to  his  superior 
sagacity,  and  said, — 

"  Well,  ye  see,  my  'pinion's  jist  this :  Tender's  the 
mainland  there"  (pointing  to  the  eastward,  where,  about 
ten  miles  distant,  the  rocks  and  trees  were  seen  distorted 
and  faintly  looming  through  a  tremulous  haze,)  "  an' 
there's  our  canoes  there"  (jerking  his  thumb  over  his 
shoulder  in  the  direction  of  the  large  canoes,  whose  torn 
sides  and  damaged  ribs,  as  they  lay  exposed  on  the  sand, 
bore  sad  testimony  to  the  violence  of  the  previous  night's 
storm,)  "  and  there's  the  little  canoe  yonder,"  (glancing 
toward  the  craft  in  question,  which  lay  on  the  beach  a 
hopelessly-destroyed  mass  of  splinters  and  shreds  of  bark 
that  projected  and  bristled  in  all  directions,  as  if  in  un 
controllable  amazement  at  the  suddenness  and  entirety 
of  its  own  destruction.)  "  Now,  that  bein'  the  case,  an' 
the  baggage  all  wet,  an'  the  day  parfitly  beautiful,  an' 
the  sun  about  hot  enough  to  bile  the  sea,  we  can't  do  bet 
ter  nor  stay  where  we  are  an'  mend  the  canoes,  dry  the 
goods,  an'  start  fair  to-morrow  mornin'." 

Stanley  looked  at  Prince,  as  if  expecting  a  remark 
from  him;  but  the  grave  countenance  of  the  silent  bows- 
man  indicated  that  he  was  absorbed  in  contemplation. 

"  'Tis  quite  evident,  Massan,"  said  Stanley,  "  that  we 
must  repair  the  canoes ;  but  a  few  hours  could  do  that, 
and  I  don't  like  the  idea  of  staying  another  night  on  a 
strip  of  sand  like  this,  which,  I  verily  believe,  another 
stiff  nor'wester  would  blow  away  altogether.  But  what 
say  you,  Prince.  Do  you  advise  our  remaining?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Dick,  "  I  do.  Ye  see  there's  no  fear 
of  another  storm  soon.  'Tis  a  good  chance  for  dryin' 
the  goods,  so  I  vote  for  stoppin'." 

"Well,  then,  we  shall  stay,"  replied  Stanley.      "To 


100  UNGAVA. 

say  truth  I  agreed  with   you  at  first,  Massan,  but  it's 
always  advisable  to  look  at  both  sides  of  a  question — " 

"  Yes,  and  '  in  the  multitude  of  counsellors  there  is 
wisdom,' "  said  Frank  Morton,  coining  up  at  the  moment, 
and  tapping  his  friend  on  the  shoulder.  "  If  you  will 
include  me  in  your  confabulation  you  shall  have  the 
benefit  of  deep  experience  and  far-sighted  sagacity." 

"  Come,  then,  Master  Frank,"  replied  Stanley,  "  what 
does  your  sagacity  advise  on  the  point  of  our  staying  on 
this  sand-bank?  Shall  we  spend  another  night  on  it  in 
order  to  dry  the  goods,  or  shall  we  up  and  away  to  terra 
firma  as  soon  as  the  canoes  are  sea-worthy  ?  " 

"  Stay,  of  course,"  said  Frank.  "  As  to  the  sand-bank, 
'tis  firm  enough,  to  my  mind,  after  resisting  the  shock  of 
the  wave  that  dashed  me  ashore  last  night.  Then,  we 
have  everything  we  need, — shelter  and  food,  and  even 
fuel."  As  Frank  mentioned  the  last  word,  he  glanced 
round  with  a  rueful  countenance  and  pointed  to  the  bark 
and  timbers  of  his  broken  canoe. 

"  True,  Frank,  we  have  wherewith  to  boil  the  kettle, 
and,  as  the  water-cask  was  full  when  we  started  yester 
day  morning,  there  will  be  enough  at  least  for  one  or 
two  days." 

"  By  the  way,  that  reminds  me  that  Eda  and  your 
wife  are  particularly  desirous  of  having  breakfast,"  said 
Frank.  "  In  fact  they  sent  me  specially  to  lay  their 
melancholy  case  before  you — and*-*!  have  great  fears  that 
Eda  will  lay  violent  hands  on  the  raw  pork  if  her  morn 
ing  meal  is  delayed  much  longer.  As  for  Chimo,  he  is 
rushing  about  the  island  in  a  sfete  of  ravenous  despair ; 
so  pray  let  us  be  going." 

"  Be  it  so,  Frank,"  said  Stanley,  taking  his  friend's 
arm,  and  sauntering  towards  the  canoe,  while  Massan 


UNGAVA.  101 

and  Prince  went  to  inform  their  comrades  of  the  deter 
mination  of  their  leader. 

In  an  hour  after  the  above  discourse,  breakfast  was 
over,  and  the  men,  under  Stanley's  inspection,  arranged 
and  examined  the  baggage ;  which,  considering  that  it 
had  been  rolled  about  by  the  surf  for  a  considerable  time, 
was  not  so  much  soaked  as  might  have  been  expected. 
The  two  kegs  of  gunpowder  were  first  inspected,  being 
the  most  valuable  part  of  the  cargo,  as  on  them  depended 
much  of  their  future  livelihood.  They  were  found  to  be 
quite  dry,  except  a  small  portion  of  powder  at  the  seams 
of  the  staves,  which,  having  caked  with  the  moisture, 
saved  the  rest  from  damage.  Some  of  the  bales,  how 
ever,  containing  knives  and  other  hardware,  were  very 
wet,  and  had  to  be  opened  out  and  their  contents  wiped 
and  spread  out  to  dry.  Blankets  too,  and  other  woollen 
garments  that  had  suffered,  were  also  spread  out  on  the 
sand,  so  that  in  a  short  time  the  little  island  was  quite 
covered  with  a  strange  assortment  of  miscellaneous  ar 
ticles,  that  gave  to  it  the  appearance  of  a  crowded  store. 
The  entire  wealth  of  the  fur  traders  was  now  exposed  to 
view,  and  it  may  perhaps  be  interesting  to  enumerate  the 
different  articles,  in  order  to  give  some  idea  of  the  outfit 
deemed  necessary  on  such  an  expedition. 

And,  first,  thece  were  two  kegs  of  gunpowder,  as 
before  mentioned,  containing  each  thirty  pounds,  with 
four  bags  of  ball  and  three  of  shot  of  various  sizes ;  in 
all,  about  250  pounds  of  lead.  Six  nets  of  four  and  a 
half  inch  mesh.  A  large  quantity  of  twine  for  making 
nets — most  of  the  men  being  able  to  construct  these  use 
ful  articles.  A  small  bag  of  gun-flints.  Sixty  pounds 
of  roll  tobacco.  Twelve  large  axes.  Six  augers. 
Seven  dozen  scalping-knives.  Six  pounds  of  variously- 


102  UXGAVA. 

coloured  beads.  Two  dozen  fire-steels,  and  a  pretty 
large  assortment  of  awls,  needles,  thread,  nails,  and 
such  like  small  articles,  which,  though  extremely  useful, 
were  too  numerous  and  comparatively  insignificant  to 
mention  in  detail.  Besides  these,  there  was  a  small  bale 
containing  gaudy  ornaments  and  attractive  articles,  which 
were  intended  as  propitiatory  presents  to  the  Esquimaux 
when  they  should  be  met  with.  Then,  there  were  two 
runlets  of  salt  pork,  containing  about  ninety  pounds  each, 
and  in  the  centre  of  each  runlet  were  two  hams.  A 
barrel  of  flour  and  a  barrel  of  oatmeal  constituted  all 
their  provision,  if  we  except  a  small  cask  of  hard  biscuit 
and  a  little  tea  and  sugar,  which  were  the  private  prop 
erty  of  Stanley  and  Frank  Morton.  There  was  also  a 
large  deer-skin  tent,  capable  of  holding  from  twenty  to 
thirty  men,  which  was  intended  to  be  used  while  they 
were  engaged  in  building  their  winter  residence  at  Un- 
gava.  As  to  arms,  each  man  had  one  of  the  long  single- 
barrelled  fowling-pieces  that  are  supplied  by  the  Fur 
Company  to  the  natives,  and  are  styled  Indian  guns. 
Stanley  had  a  double-barrelled  flint  fowling-piece  ;  and 
Frank  had  a  rifle,  besides  a  single  gun  of  a  description 
somewhat  finer  than  that  supplied  to  the  Indians.  Of 
course  each  man  carried  a  scalping-knife  and  an  axe  in 
his  belt,  not  for  the  purpose  of  self-defence,  but  for  carv 
ing  their  food  and  cutting  their  fuel. 

It  may  be  well  to  remark  here,  that  the  goods  and 
provisions  which  we  have  detailed  above,  were  merely 
intended  as  a  supply  for  their  immediate  necessities,  and 
to  enable  them  to  commence  active  operations  at  once  on 
arriving  at  their  destination,  while  the  heavy  stores  and 
goods  necessary  for  the  year's  trade  were  to  be  forwarded 
in  a  small  sloop  from  the  depot  direct  through  Hudson's 
Straits  to  Ungava  Bay. 


UXGAVA.  103 

When  the  work  of  unpacking  and  exposing  the  things 
to  dry  in  the  sun  was  accomplished,  it  was  long  past 
noon,  and  high  time  for  dinner,  so  a  fire  was  lighted  by 
Bryan,  who  cut  up  another  portion  of  Frank's  canoe  for 
the  purpose.  A  rasher  of  pork  and  a  flour  cake  were 
disposed  of  by  each  of  the  party  in  a  surprisingly  short 
time,  and  then  the  men  bestirred  themselves  in  mending 
the  canoes.  This  was  a  more  troublesome  job  than  they 
expected,  but,  being  accustomed  not  only  to  mend  but  to 
make  canoes,  they  worked  with  a  degree  of  skill  and 
diligence  that  speedily  put  all  to  rights.  In  Massan's 
canoe  there  was  a  hole  large  enough,  as  Bryan  remarked, 
to  stick  his  head  through,  though  it  was  a  "  big  wan,  an' 
no  mistake."  Taking  up  a  roll  of  bark,  which  was  car 
ried  with  them  for  the  purpose,  Massan  cut  from  it  a 
square  patch,  which  he  sewed  over  the  hole,  using  an 
awl  for  a  needle,  and  the  fibrous  roots  of  the  pine-tree, 
called  Avattape,  for  thread.  After  it  was  firmly  sewed  on, 
the  seams  were  covered  with  melted  gum,  and  the  broken 
spot  was  as  tight  and  strong  as  ever.  There  were  next 
found  several  long  slits,  one  of  them  fully  three  feet, 
which  were  more  easily  managed,  as  they  merely  re 
quired  to  be  sewed  and  covered  with  gum.  Several 
broken  ribs,  however,  were  not  so  easily  repaired.  Had 
there  been  any  wood  on  the  island,  Massan's  quick  knife 
would  have  soon  fashioned  new  ribs  ;  as  it  was,  he  had 
to  make  the  best  job  he  could,  by  splicing  the  old  ones 
with  several  pieces  abstracted  from  Frank's  little  canoe. 

It  was  sunset  before  all  was  put  in  complete  order, 
the  goods  repacked,  and  placed  in  readiness  for  a  start 
at  daybreak  on  the  following  morning.  After  all  was 
done,  the  remains  of  the  small  canoe  were  converted  into 
a  bonfire,  round  which  the  tired  and  hungry  travellers 


104  UXGAVA. 

assembled  to  smoke  and  chat,  while  supper  was  being 
prepared  by  the  indefatigable  Bryan  and  his  friend  La 
Roche.  As  the  day  faded  away  the  stars  came  out,  one 
by  one,  until  they  glittered  in  millions  in  the  sky,  while 
the  glare  of  the  fire  became  every  moment  more  and 
more  intense  as  the  darkness  deepened.  It  was  a 
strange,  wild  scene, — especially  when  viewed  from  the 
extremity  of  the  little  sand-bank,  which  was  so  low  as 
to  be  almost  indiscernible  in  the  dark  night,  and  seemed 
scarce  a  sufficient  foundation  for  the  little  busy  group 
of  human  beings  who  stood,  radiant  in  the  red  light  of 
their  camp-fire,  like  a  blazing  gem  cast  upon  the  surface 
of  the  great,  cold  sea. 


THE    SANDBANK.         Page  1(4. 


UNGAVA.  105 


CHAPTER   XI. 

START  AFRESH -SUPERSTITIOUS  NOTIONS— THE  WHIRLPOOL— THE 
INTERIOR— FISHING  IN  THE  OLD  WAY  ON  NEW  GROUND,  AND 
WHAT  CAME  OF  IT— A  COLD  BATH— THE  RESCUE— SAVED— 
DEEPER  AND  DEEPER  INTO  THE  WILDERNESS. 

AS  if  to  make  amends  for  its  late  outrageous  con 
duct,  the  weathei1,  after  the  night  of  the  great 
storm,  continued  unbrokenly  serene  for  many  days,  en 
abling  our  travellers  to  make  rapid  progress  towards 
their  destination.  It  would  be  both  tiresome  and  un 
necessary  to  follow  them  step  by  step  throughout  their 
journey,  as  the  part  of  it  which  we  have  already  de 
scribed  was,  in  many  respects,  typical  of  the  whole  voy 
age  along  the  east  coast  of  Hudson's  Bay.  Sometimes, 
indeed,  a  few  incidents  of  an  unusual  character  did  occur. 
Once  they  were  very  nearly  being  crushed  between 
masses  of  ice ;  twice  the  larger  canoe  struck  on  a  hum 
mock,  and  had  to  be  landed  and  repaired  ;  and  frequently 
mishaps  of  a  slighter  nature  befell  them.  Their  beds, 
too,  varied  occasionally.  At  one  time  they  laid  them 
down  to  rest  on  the  sand  of  the  sea-shore ;  at  another,  on 
the  soft  turf  and  springy  moss  of  the  woods.  Sometimes 
they  were  compelled  to  content  themselves  with  a  couch 
of  pebbles,  few  of  which  were  smaller  than  a  man's  fist ; 
and,  not  unfrequently,  they  had  to  make  the  best  they 
could  of  a  flat  rock,  whose  unyielding  surface  seemed  to 
put  the  idea  of  anything  like  rest  to  flight,  causing  the 
thin  men  of  the  party  to  growl,  and  the  fat  ones  to 


106  UXGAVA. 

chuckle.  Bryan  was  one  of  the  well-favored,  being  round 
and  fleshy,  while  his  poor  little  friend  La  Roche  pos 
sessed  a  framework  of  bones  that  were  so  sparingly  cov 
ered  with  softer  substance,  as  to  render  it  a  matter  of 
wonder  how  he  and  the  stones  could  compromise  the 
matter  at  all,  and  called  forth  from  his  friend  frequent 
impertinent  allusions  to  "  thrid-papers,  bags  o'  bones, 
idges  o'  knives,  half  fathoms  o'  pump  water,"  and  such 
like  curious  substances.  But,  whatever  the  bed,  it  in 
variably  turned  out  that  the  whole  party  slept  soundly 
from  the  time  they  lay  down  till  the  time  of  rising,  which 
was  usually  at  the  break  of  day. 

Owing  to  the  little  Indian  canoe  having  been  wrecked 
on  the  sand-bank,  Frank  and  his  men  had  to  embark  in 
the  smaller  of  the  large  canoes ;  a  change  which  was  in 
some  respects  a  disadvantage  to  the  party,  as  Frank 
could  not  now  so  readily  dash  away  in  pursuit  of  game. 
However,  this  did  not  much  matter,  as,  in  a  few  days 
afterwards,  they  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  by 
which  they  intended  to  penetrate  into  the  interior  of  the 
country.  The  name  of  the  river  is  Deer  River,  and  it 
flows  into  Richmond  Gulf,  which  is  situated  on  the  east 
shore  of  Hudson's  Bay,  in  lat.  5G°  N.  Richmond  Gulf 
is  twenty  miles  long,  and  about  the  same  in  breadth,  but 
the  entrance  to  it  is  so  narrow  that  the  tide  pours  into  it 
like  a  torrent  until  it  is  full.  The  pent-up  waters  then 
rush  out  on  one  side  of  this  narrow  inlet  while  they 
are  running  in  at  the  other,  causing  a  whirlpool  which 
would  engulf  a  large  boat,  and  greatly  endanger  even 
a  small  vessel.  Of  course  it  was  out  of  the  question 
to  attempt  the  passage  of  such  a  vortex  in  canoes, 
except  at  half  flood  or  half  ebb  tide,  at  which  periods 
the  waters  become  quiet.  On  arriving  at  the  mouth 


UNGAVA.  107 

of  the  gulf,  the  travellers  found  the  tide  out,  and  the 
entrance  to  it  curling  and  rolling  in  massive  volumes, 
as  if  all  the  evil  water  spirits  of  the  north  were  hold 
ing  their  orgies  there.  Oostesimow  and  Ma-istequan, 
being  by  nature  and  education  intensely  superstitious, 
told  Stanley, — after  they  had  landed  to  await  the  flow  of 
the  tide, — that  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  perform 
certain  ceremonies  in  order  to  propitiate  the  deities  of 
the  place,  otherwise  they  could  not  expect  to  pass  such 
an  awful  whirlpool  in  safety.  Their  leader  smiled,  and 
told  them  to  do  as  they  thought  fit,  adding,  however,  that 
he  would  not  join  them,  as  he  did  not  believe  in  any 
deities  whatever,  except  the  one  true  God,  who  did  not 
require  to  be  propitiated  in  any  way,  and  could  not  be 
moved  by  any  other  means  than  by  prayer  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ.  The  red  men  seemed  surprised  a  little 
at  this,  but,  with  their  proverbial  stoicism,  refrained  from 
any  further  or  more  decided  expression  of  feeling. 

Nevertheless,  the  Indians  sufficiently  showed  their 
faith  in  their  own  doctrines  by  immediately  setting  about 
a  series  of  curious  and  elaborate  ceremonies,  which  it 
was  impossible  to  comprehend,  and  decidedly  unprofitable 
to  describe.  They  appeared,  however,  to  attach  much 
importance  to  their  propitiatory  offerings,  the  chief  among 
which  seemed  to  be  a  few  inches  of  tobacco,  with  which 
it  was  fondly  hoped  the  deities  of  the  gulf  would  con 
descend  to  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace  while  their  red  chil 
dren  ventured  to  trespass  a  little  on  their  domain  ;  and 
hard  indeed  must  have  been  the  hearts  of  the  said  spirits 
had  they  refused  so  valuable  an  offering,  for  tobacco 
is  the  life  and  marrow,  the  quintessence  of  terrestrial 
felicity,  the  very  joy  and  comfort  of  a  voyager,  and  the 
poor  Indians  had  but  little  of  it  to  spare. 


108  UXGAVA. 

While  this  was  going  on,  Bryan  stood  with  his  back 
to  the  fire,  a  remarkably  short  and  peculiarly  black 
pipe  in  his  mouth,  and  his  head  inclined  sagaciously 
to  one  side,  as  if  he  designed,  by  dint  of  a  combina 
tion  of  intense  mental  abstraction,  partial  closing  of 
his  eyes,  severe  knitting  of  his  brows,  and  slow  but 
exceedingly  voluminous  emission  of  smoke,  to  come  to 
a  conclusion  in  regard  to  the  unfathomable  subject  of 
Indian  superstition.  La  Roche,  steeped  in  unphilo- 
sophic  indifference  on  such  matters,  and  keenly  alive 
to  the  gross  cravings  of  hunger,  busied  himself  in  con 
cocting  a  kettle  of  soup,  while  the  rest  of  the  party 
rambled  about  the  beach,  or  among  the  bushes  in  search 
of  eggs.  In  this  latter  search,  Frank  and  Edith  were 
very  successful,  and  returned  with  pockets  laden  with 
excellent  eggs  of  the  eider-duck,  which  were  immedi 
ately  put  into  the  kettle,  and  tended  not  a  little  to  in 
crease  the  excellence  of  the  soup  and  the  impatience  of 
the  men. 

Meanwhile  the  tide  rose,  the  power  of  the  current  was 
gradually  checked,  and,  towards  noon,  they  passed  the 
dangerous  narrows  in  safety.  From  the  view  that  was 
now  obtained  of  the  interior,  it  became  evident  that  the 
worst  of  their  journey  yet  lay  before  them.  On  arriv 
ing  at  the  mouth  of  Deer  River,  the  mountains  were 
seen  to  rise  abruptly  and  precipitously,  while,  far  away 
inland,  their  faint  blue  peaks  rose  into  the  sky.  Indeed, 
from  this  point,  the  really  hard  work  of  the  voyage  may 
be  said  to  have  commenced  ;  for,  scarcely  had  they  pro 
ceeded  a  few  miles  up  the  river,  when  their  farther  prog 
ress,  at  least  by  water,  was  effectually  interrupted  by  a 
rapid  which  came  leaping  madly  down  its  rocky  bed,  as 
if  the  stream  rejoiced  to  escape  from  the  chasms  and 


UNO  A  V  A.  109 

mountain  gorges,  and  find  rest  at  last  on  the  ample 
bosom  of  the  great  deep. 

"  What  think  ye  of  that,  hoy  ?"  said  Stanley  to  Frank 
Morton,  as  they  leaped  from  their  respective  canoes,  and 
stood  gazing  at  the  rugged  glen  from  which  the  rapid 
issued,  and  the  wild  appearance  of  the  hills  beyond.  "  It 
seems  to  me  that  report  spoke  truly  when  it  said  that  the 
way  to  Clear  Water  Lake  was  rugged.  Here  is  no  des 
picable  portage  to  begin  with  ;  and  yonder  cliffs,  that  look 
so  soft  and  blue  in  the  fur  distance,  will  prove  to  be  dark 
and  hard  enough  when  we  get  at  them,  I  warrant." 

"  When  we  get  at  them ! "  echoed  Mrs.  Stanley,  as  she 
approached,  leading  Edith  by  the  hand.  "  Get  at  them, 
George  !  Had  any  one  asked  me  i£  it  were  possible  to 
pass  over  these  mountains  with  our  canoes  and  cargoes,  I 
should  have  answered,  '  Decidedly  not!'" 

"  And  yet  you  were  so  foolish  and  reckless  as  to  be 
the  first  to  volunteer  for  this  decidedly  impossible  expe 
dition  ! "  replied  Stanley. 

"  There  you  are  inconsistent,"  said  Mrs.  Stanley,  smil 
ing.  ';  If  reckless,  I  cannot  be  foolish,  according  to  your 
own  showing ;  for  I  have  heard  you  give  it  as  your  opin 
ion  that  recklessness  is  one  of  the  most  essential  elements 
in  the  leaders  of  a  forlorn-hope.  But  really  the  thing 
does  seem  to  my  ignorant  mind  impossible.  What  think 
you,  Eda  ?  " 

Mrs.  Stanley  bent  down  and  looked  into  the  face  of 
her  child,  but  she  received  no  reply.  The  expanded 
eyes,  indeed,  spoke  volumes  ;  and  the  parted  lips,  on 
which  played  a  fitful,  exulting  smile,  the  heightened 
color,  and  thick-coming  breath,  told  eloquently  of  her 
anticipated  delight  in  these  new  regions,  which  seemed 
so  utterly  different  from  the  shores  of  the  bay, — but  her 
tongue  was  mute. 


110  UNGAVA. 

And  well  might  Mrs.  Stanley  think  the  passage  over 
these  mountains  impossible,  for,  except  to  men  accus 
tomed  to  canoe  travelling  in  the  American  lakes  and 
rivers,  such  an  attempt  would  have  appeared  as  hopeless 
as  the  passage  of  a  ship  through  the  ice-locked  polar  seas 
in  winter. 

Not  so  thought  the  men.  Already  several  of  the  most 
active  of  them  were  scrambling  up  the  cliffs  with  heavy 
loads  on  their  backs  ;  and,  while  Stanley  and  his  wife 
were  yet  conversing,  two  of  them  approached  rapidly, 
bearing  the  large  canoe  on  their  shoulders.  The  excla 
mation  that  issued  from  the  foremost  of  these  proved  him 
to  be  Bryan. 

"  Now,  bad  luck  to  ye,  Gaspard !  can't  ye  go  stidy  ? 
It's  mysilf  that'll  be  down  on  me  blissid  nose  av  ye  go 
staggerin'  about  in  that  fashion.  Shure  it's  Losh,  the 
spalpeen,  that  would  carry  the  canoe  better  than  you." 

Gaspard  made  no  reply.  Bryan  staggered  on,  growl 
ing  as  he  went,  and  in  another  minute  they  were  hid 
from  view  among  the  bushes. 

"  What  do  you  see,  Frank  ?  "  inquired  Stanley  ;  "  you 
stare  as  earnestly  as  Bryan  did  at  the  white  bear  last 
week.  What  is't  man  ?  speak  !  " 

"  A  fish,"  replied  Frank.  "I  saw  him  rise  in  the  pool, 
and  I'm  certain  he's  a  verjHarge  one." 

"  Very  likely,  Frank ;  there  ought  to  be  fish  of  some 
sort  there.  I've  been  told — hist !  there  he's  again.  As 
I  live,  a  salmon  !  a  salmon,  Frank !  now  for  your  rod, 
my  boy." 

But  Frank  heard  him  not,  for  he  was  gone.  In  a  few 
minutes  he  returned  with  a  fishing-rod,  which  he  was 
busily  engaged  in  putting  up  as  he  hurried  towards  the 
rocks  beside  the  pool. 


UNGAVA.  Ill 

Now,  Frank  Morton  was  a  fisher.  "We  do  not  mean 
to  say  that  he  was  a  fisher  by  profession  ;  nor  do  we 
merely  affirm  that  he  was  rather  fond  of  the  gentle  art  of 
angling,  or  generally  inclined  to  take  a  cast  when  he  hap 
pened  to  be  near  a  good  stream.  By  no  means.  Frank 
was  more  than  that  implies.  He  was  a  steady,  thorough 
going  disciple  of  Isaac  Walton  ;  one  who,  in  the  days  of 
his  boyhood,  used  to  flee  to  the  water-side  at  all  seasons, 
in  all  weathers,  and  despite  all  obstacles.  Not  only  was 
it  his  wont  to  fish  when  he  could,  or  how  he  could,  but 
too  often  was  he  beguiled  to  fish  at  times  and  in  ways 
that  were  decidedly  improper  ;  sometimes  devoting  those 
hours  which  were  set  apart  expressly  for  the  acquirement 
of  Greek  and  Latin,  to  wandering  by  mountain  stream 
or  tarn,  rod  in  hand,  up  to  the  knees  in  water,  among  the 
braes  and  woodlands  of  his  own  native  country.  And 
Frank's  enthusiasm  did  not  depend  entirely  on  his  suc 
cess.  It  was  a  standing  joke  among  his  school-fellows 
that  Frank  would  walk  six  miles  any  day  for  the  chance 
of  a  nibble  from  the  ghost  of  a  minnow.  Indeed,  he  was 
often  taunted  by  his  ruder  comrades  with  being  such  a 
keen  fisher  that  he  was  quite  content  if  he  only  hooked  a 
drowned  cat  during  a  day's  excursion.  But  Frank  was 
good-natured ; — he  smiled  at  their  jests,  and  held  on  the 
even  tenor  of  his  way,  whipping  the  streams  more  per 
tinaciously  than  his  master  whipped  him  for  playing  tru 
ant  ;  content  alike  to  bear  ignominy  and  chastisement,  so 
long  as  he  was  rewarded  by  a  nibble,  and  overjoyed  be 
yond  expression  when  he  could  return  home  with  the  tail 
of  a  two-pounder  hanging  over  the  edge  of  his  basket. 
Far  be  it  from  us  to  hold  up  to  ridicule  the  weakness  of 
a  friend,  but  we  cannot  help  adding  that  Master  Frank 
made  the  most  of  his  tails.  His  truthful  and  manly  nat- 


112  UXGAVA. 

ure,  indeed,  would  not  stoop  to  actual  deception,  but  he 
had  been  known  on  more  than  one  occasion  to  offer  to 
carry  a  friend's  water-proof  fishing  boots  in  his  basket, 
when  his  doing  so  rendered  it  impossible  to  prevent  the 
tails  of  his  trout  from  protruding  arrogantly,  as  if  to 
insinuate  that  there  were  shoals  within.  Another  of 
Frank's  weaknesses  was,  upon  the  hooking  of  every  fish, 
to  assert,  with  overweening  confidence  and  considerable 
excitement,  that  it  was  a  tremendously  big  one.  Expe 
rience  had,  during  all  his  piscatorial  career,  contradicted 
him  ninety-nine  times  out  of  every  hundred ;  but  Frank's 
firm  belief  in  his  last  minnow  being  a  big  trout, — at  least 
until  it  lay  gasping  on  the  bank  at  his  feet, — was  as  un 
shaken  after  long  years  of  mistaken  calculation  as  when 
first  he  sallied  forth  to  the  babbling  brook  with  a  willow 
branch,  a  fathom  of  twine,  and  a  crooked  pin  ! 

Such  untiring  devotion  of  course  could  not  fail  to  make 
Frank  particularly  knowing  in  all  the  details  and  minu 
tiae  of  his  much-loved  sport.  He  knew  every  hole  and 
corner  of  the  rivers  and  burns  within  fifteen  miles  of  hi.s 
father's  house.  lie  became  mysteriously  wise  in  regard 
to  the  weather ;  knew  precisely  the  best  fly  for  any  given 
day,  and,  in  the  event  of  being  unhappily  destitute  of  the 
proper  kind,  could  dress  one  to  perfection  in  ten  minutes. 
As  he  grew  older  and  taller,  and  the  muscles  on  his  large 
and  well-made  limbs  began  to  develop,  Frank  slung  a 
more  capacious  basket  on  his  back,  shouldered  a  heavier 
rod,  and,  with  a  pair  of  thick  shoes  and  a  homespun  shoot 
ing  suit,  stretched  away  over  the  Highland  hills  towards 
the  romantic  shores  of  the  we,st  coast  of  Scotland.  Here  he 
first  experienced  the  wild  excitement  of  salmon-fishing ; 
and  here  the  Waltonian  chains,  that  had  been  twining 
and  thickening  around  him  from  infancy,  received  two  or 


UNGAVA.  113 

three  additional  coils,  and  were  finally  riveted  forever. 
During  his  sojourn  in  America,  he  had  happened  to  dwell 
in  places  where  the  fishing,  though  good,  was  not  of  a 
very  exciting  nature ;  and  he  had  not  seen  a  salmon  since 
the  day  he  left  home,  so  that  it  is  not  matter  for  wonder 
that  his  stride  was  rapid,  and  his  eye  bright,  while  he 
hurried  towards  the  pool,  as  before  mentioned. 

He  who  has  never  left  the  beaten  tracks  of  men,  or 
trod  the  unknown  wilderness,  can  have  but  a  faint  con 
ception  of  the  feelings  of  a  true  angler  as  he  stands  by 
the  brink  of  a  dark  pool, — which  has  hitherto  reflected 
only  the  antlers  of  the  wild  deer, — whose  dimpling  eddies 
and  flecks  of  foam  have  been  disturbed  by  no  fisher  since 
the  world  began,  except  the  polar  bear.  Besides  the 
pleasurable  emotions  of  strong  hope,  there  is  the  addi 
tional  charm  of  uncertainty  as  to  what  will  rise,  and  of 
certainty  that  if  there  be  anything  piscatine  beneath  these 
fascinating  ripples  it  undoubtedly  will  rise — and  bite  too! 
Then  there  is  the  peculiar  satisfaction  of  catching  now 
and  then  a  drop  of  spray  from,  and  hearing  the  thunder 
of,  a  cataract,  whose  free,  surging  bound  is  not  yet  shac 
kled  by  the  tourist's  sentimental  description ;  and  the 
novelty  of  beholding  one's  image  reflected  in  a  liquid  mir 
ror  whose  geographical  position  is  not  yet  stereotyped 
on  the  charts  of  man.  Alas  for  these  maps  and  charts ! 
Despite  the  wishes  of  scientific  geographers,  and  the 
ignorance  of  unscientific  explorers,  we  think  them  far  too 
complete  already  !  and  we  can  conceive  few  things  more 
dreadful  or  crushing  to  the  enterprising  and  romantic 
spirits  of  the  world  than  the  arrival  of  that  time  (if  it 
ever  shall  arrive)  when  it  shall  be  said  that  terra  incog 
nita  exists  no  longer ! — when  every  one  of  those  fairy- 
like  isles  of  the  southern  seas,  and  all  the  hidden  wonders. 


114  UXGAVA. 

of  the  polar  regions,  shall  be  put  down,  in  cold  blood,  on 
black  and  white,  exposed  profanely  on  the  school-room 
walls,  and  drummed  into  the  thick  heads  of  wretched  lit 
tle  boys,  who  don't  want  to  learn,  by  the  unsympathizing 

4  hands  of  dominies,  who,  it  may  be,  care  but  little  whether 

^  they  do  or  not ! 

But  to  return.  While  Frank  stood  on  the  rocks, 
attaching  to  the  line  a  salmon-fly  which  he  had  selected 
with  much  consideration  from  his  book,  he  raised  his  eyes 
once  or  twice  to  take  a  rapid  glance  at  his  position  and 
the  capabilities  of  the  place.  About  fifty  yards  farther 
up  the  river  the  stream  curled  round  the  base  of  a  large 
rock,  and  gushed  into  a  pool  which  was  encircled  >ojj  all 
sides  by  an  overhanging  wall,  except  where  the  "waters 
issued  forth  in  a  burst  of  foam.  Their  force,  however, 
was  materially  broken  by  another  curve,  round  which 
they  had  to  sweep  ere  they  reached  this  exit,  so  that, 
when  they  rushed  into  the  larger  pool  below,  they  calmed 
down  at  once,  and,  on  reaching  the  point  where  Frank 
stood,  assumed  that  oily,  gurgling  surface,  dimpled  all 
over  with  laughing  eddies,  that  suggests  irresistibly  the 
idea  of  fish  not  only  being  there  as  a  matter  of  course, 
but  being  there  expressly  and  solely  for  the  purpose  of 
being  caught !  A  little  farther  down,  the  river  took  a 
slight  bend,  and  immediately  after,  recurring  to  its  straight 
course,  it  dashed  down,  for  a  distance  of  fifty  yards,  in  a 
tumultuous  rapid,  which  swept  into  sudden  placidity  a 
few  hundred  yards  below.  Having  taken  all  this  in  at  a 
glance,  Frank  dropt  the  fly  into  the  water  and  raised  his 
rod  to  make  a  cast.  In  this  act  he  almost  broke  the  rod, 
to  his  amazement ;  for,  instead  of  whipping  the  fly  lightly 
out  of  the  water,  he  dragged  a  trout  of  a  pound  weight 
•violently  up  on  the  bank. 


%  m 
UXGAVA.  115 

"  Bravo ! "  cried  Stanley,  laughing  heartily  at  his 
friend's  stare  of  mingled  wonder  and  amazement, — 
"  Bravo,  Frank !  I'm  no  fisher  myself,  but  I've  always 
understood  that  .fish  required  a  little  play  before  being 
landed.  However,  you  have  convinced  me  of  my  igno 
rance.  I  see  that  the  proper  way  is  to  toss  them  over, 
your  head !  A  salmon  must  be  rather  troublesome  to 
toss,  but  no  doubt,  with  your  strong  arms,  you'll  manage 
it  easily,  hey?" 

"  Why,  what  an  appetite  they  must  have  ! "  replied 
Frank,  answering  his  friend's  badinage  with  a  smile. 
''  If  the  little  fellows  begin  thus,  what  will  not  the  big 
ones  do  ?  " 

As  he  spoke,  he  disengaged  the  fish  and  threw  it  down, 
and  made  the  next  cast  so  rapidly,  that  if  another  trout 
was  waiting  to  play  him  a  similar  trick,  it  must  have  been 
grievously  disappointed.  The  line  swept  lightly  through 
the  air,  and  the  fly  fell  gently  on  the  stream,  where  it  had 
not  quivered  more  than  two  seconds  when  the  water  gur 
gled  around  it.  The  next  moment  Frank's  rod  bent  like 
a  hoop,  and  the  line  fled  through  the  rings  with  whirring 
rapidity,  filling  these  lonely  solitudes  for  the  first  time 
with  the  pleasant  "  music  of  the  reel."  Almost  before 
Frank  had  time  to  take  a  step  in  a  downward  direction, 
fifty  yards  were  run  out,  the  waters  were  suddenly  cleft, 
and  a  salmon  sprang  like  a  bar  of  burnished  silver  twice 
its  own  height  into  the  air.  With  a  sounding  splash  it 
returned  to  its  native  element,  but  scarcely  had  its  fins 
touched  the  water  when  it  darted  towards  the  bank. 
Being  brought  up  suddenly  here,  it  turned  at  a  tangent, 
and  flashed  across  the  pool  again,  causing  the  reel  to  spin 
with  renewed  velocity.  Here  the  fish  paused  for  a 
second,  as  if  to  collect  its  thoughts,  and  then  coming,  ap- 


116  UNGAVA. 

parently,  to  a  summary  determination  as  to  what  it  meant 
to  do,  it  began  steadily  to  ascend  the  stream,  not,  indeed, 
so  rapidly  as  it  had  descended,  but  sufficiently  so  to  give 
Frank  some  trouble,  by  means  of  rapidly  winding  up,  to 
keep  the  line  tight.  Having  bored  doggedly  towards  the 
head  of  the  rapid,  the  fish  stopped  and  began  to  shake  its 
head  passionately,  as  if  indignant  at  being  foiled  in  it.s 
energetic  attempts  to  escape.  After  a  little  time,  it  lay 
sulkily  down  at  the  bottom  of  the  pool,  where  it  defied 
its  persecutor  to  move  it  an  inch. 

"  What's  to  be  done  now  ? "  asked  Stanley,  who 
stood  ready  to  gaff  the  fish  when  brought  near  to  the 
bank. 

"  We  must  rouse  him  up,"  said  Frank,  as  he  slowly 
wound  up  the  line.  "  Just  take  up  a  stone  and  throw  it 
at  him." 

Stanley  looked  surprised,  for  he  imagined  that  such  a 
proceeding  would  frighten  the  fish  and  cause  it  to  snap 
the  line ;  but,  seeing  that  Frank  was  in  earnest,  he  did 
as  he  was  directed.  No  sooner  had  the  stone  sunk  than 
the  startled  fish  once  more  dashed  across  the  river  ;  then 
taking  a  downward  course,  it  sped  like  an  arrow  to  the 
brink  of  the  rough  water  below.  To  have  allowed  the 
salmon  to  go  down  the  rapid  would  have  been  to  lose  it, 
so  Frank  arrested  the  spinning  of  his  reel  and  held  on. 
For  a  second  or  two  the  rod  bent  almost  in  a  circle,  and 
the  line  became  fearfully  rigid. 

"  You'll  break  it,  Frank,"  cried  Stanley,  in  some 
anxiety. 

"  It  can't  be  helped,"  said  Frank,  compressing  his  lips  ; 
"  he  must  not  go  down  there.  The  tackle  is  new ;  I  think 
it  will  hold  him." 

Fortunately  the  tackle  proved  to  be  very  good.     The 


UNGAVA.  117 

fish  was  arrested,  and  after  one  or  two  short  runs,  which 
showed  that  its  vigor  was  abated,  it  was  drawn  carefully 
towards  the  rocks.  As  it  drew  near,  it  rolled  over  on  its 
side  once  or  twice, — an  evident  sign  of  being  much 
exhausted. 

"•  Now,  Stanley,  be  careful,"  said  Frank,  as  his  friend 
stepped  cautiously  towards  the  fish  and  extended  the  gaff. 
"  I've  seen  many  a  fine  salmon  escape  owing  to  careless 
gaffing.  Don't  be  in  a  hurry.  Be  sure  of  your  distance 
before  you  strike,  and  do  it  quickly.  Now,  then — there 
— give  it  him — hurrah  !  "  he  shouted,  as  Stanley  passed 
the  iron  hook  neatly  into  the  side  of  the  fish,  and  lifted  it 
high  and  dry  on  the  rocks. 

The  cheer  to  which  Frank  gave  vent,  on  this  suc 
cessful  termination  to  the  struggle,  was  reechoed  heartily 
by  several  of  the  men  who,  on  passing  the  spot  with  their 
loads,  had  paused  and  become  deeply  interested  spectators 
of  the  sport. 

"  Powerful  big  fish,  sir,"  said  Bryan,  throwing  down 
his  pack  and  taking  up  the  salmon  by  the  gills.  "  Twinty 
pounds  at  laste,  av  it's  an  ounce." 

"  Scarcely  that,  Bryan,"  said  Stanley ;  "  but  it's  not 
much  less,  I  believe." 

"  Ah  !  oui,  'tis  ver'  pritty.  Ver'  superb  for  supper," 
remarked  La  Roche. 

The  little  Frenchman  was  right  in  saying  that  it  was 
pretty.  Unlike  the  ordinary  salmon,  it  was  marked  with 
spots  like  a  trout,  its  head  was  small  and  its  shoulders 
plump,  while  its  silvery  purity  was  exceedingly  dazzling 
and  beautiful. 

"  'Tis  a  Hearne-salmon,"  said  Massan,  approaching  the 
group.  "  I've  seed  lots  o'  them  on  the  coast  to  the 
south'ard  o'  this,  an'  I've  no  doubt  we'll  find  plenty  o' 
them  at  Uneraft-a." 


118  UXGAVA. 

While  the  men  were  discussing  the  merits  of  the  fish, 
Frank  had  hooked  another,  which,  although  quite  as 
large,  gave  him  much  less  trouble  to  land  ;  and  before 
the  men  had  finished  carrying  the  canoes  and  goods 
over  the  portage,  he  had  taken  three  fish  out  of  the 
same  pool.  Wishing,  however,  to  try  for  a  larger  one 
nearer  the  sea,  he  proceeded  to  take  a  cast  below  the 
rapid. 

Meanwhile,  La  Roche,  whose  activity  had  enabled  him 
to  carry  over  his  portion  of  the  cargo  long  before  his  com 
rades,  came  to  the  pool  which  Frank  had  just  left,  and, 
seating  himself  on  a  large  stone,  drew  forth  his  tobacco 
pouch.  With  a  comical  leer  at  the  water  which  had  so 
recently  been  deprived  of  its  denizens,  he  proceeded 
leisurely  to  fill  a  pipe. 

It  is  impossible  to  foresee,  and  difficult  to  account  for, 
the  actions  of  an  impulsive  human  being.  La  Roche 
sat  down  to  smoke  his  pipe,  but  instead  of  smoking  it, 
he  started  to  his  feet  and  whirled  it  into  the  river. 
This  apparently  insane  action  was  followed  by  several 
others,  which,  as  they  were  successively  performed,  gradu 
ally  unfolded  the  drift  of  his  intentions.  Drawing  the 
knife  which  hung  at  his  girdle,  he  went  into  the  bushes, 
whence  he  quickly  returned,  dragging  after  him  a  large 
branch.  From  this  he  stripped  the  leaves  and  twigs. 
Fumbling  in  his  pocket  for  some  time,  he  drew  forth 
a  piece  of  stout  cord,  about  four  yards  long,  with  a 
cod-hook  attached  to  the  end  of  it.  This  line  had 
been  constructed  some  weeks  before  when  the  canoes 
were  windbound  at  a  part  of  the  coast  where  La  Roche, 
desirous  of  replenishing  the  kettle,  had  made  an  un 
successful  attempt  at  sea-fishing.  Fastening  this  line  to 
the  end  of  his  extemporized  rod,  La  Roche  proceeded 


UXGAVA.  119 

to  dress  his  hook.  This  he  accomplished  by  means  of 
the  feather  of  a  duck  which  Frank  shot  the  day  be 
fore,  and  a  tag  from  his  scarlet  worsted  belt ;  and,  when 
finished,  it  had  more  the  appearance  of  some  hideous 
reptile  than  a  gay  fly.  However,  La  Roche  surveyed  it 
for  a  moment  or  two  with  an  expression  of  deep  satisfac 
tion,  and  then  hurrying  to  the  brink  of  the  water,  made 
a  violent  heave. 

"  Oh  !  cent  milles  tonnerres  !  "  he  exclaimed,  angrily, 
as  the  enormous  hook  caught  in  the  leg  of  his  trousers. 
The  large  and  clumsy  barb  was  deeply  embedded,  so  there 
was  no  help  for  it  but  to  use  the  knife.  The  second 
throw  was  more  successful,  and  the  hook  alighted  in  the 
water  with  a  splash  that  ought  to  have  sent  all  the  fish  in 
the  pool  away  in  consternation.  Instead  of  this,  how 
ever,  no  sooner  did  the  reptile  trail  upon  the  stream  than 
a  trout  dashed  at  it  in  such  violent  haste  that  it  nearly 
missed  it  altogether.  As  it  was,  it  hooked  itself  very 
slightly,  and  the  excitable  Frenchman  settled  the  mat 
ter  by  giving  the  line  a  violent  tug,  in  his  anxiety  to 
land  the  fish,  that  pulled  the  hook  entirely  out  of  its 
mouth. 

"  Ah  !  c'est  damage,  ver'  great ;  mais  try  it  encore,  my 
boy,"  exclaimed  the  mortified  angler.  The  next  throw, 
although  well  accomplished,  produced  nothing ;  but  at 
the  third  attempt,  ere  the  reptile  had  settled  on  the  water 
for  a  second,  it  was  ingulfed  by  a  salmon  fully  six  pounds 
weight,  and  La  Roche's  rod  was  almost  drawn  out  of  his 
grasp. 

"  Hilloa,  Losh  !  what  have  ye  got  there  ?  "  exclaimed 
Bryan,  as,  with  several  of  the  men,  he  approached  to 
where  the  Frenchman  and  the  salmon  strove  in  uncertain 
conflict. 


120  UNGAVA. 

"  By  the  mortial,  he's  hucked  a  whale !  Out  with  it, 
boy,  afore  it  pulls  ye  in,"  said  the  Irishman,  running  to 
the  rescue. 

Just  then  the  salmon  gave  a  pull  of  more  than  ordinary 
vigor,  at  the  same  moment  La  Roche  slipped  his  foot, 
and,  ere  Bryan  could  lay  hold  of  him,  fell  headlong  into 
the  water  and  disappeared.  Bryan's  hands  hung  help 
lessly  down,  his  jaw  dropt,  and  his  eyes  opened  wide,  as 
he  gazed  in  mute  wonderment  at  the  spot  where  his 
friend's  toes  had  vanished.  Suddenly  he  wrenched  off 
his  cap  and  flung  it  down,  and  proceeded  to  tear  off  his 
coat,  preparatory  to  leaping  into  the  river  to  the  rescue, 
when  his  arms  were  pinioned  to  his  sides  by  the  powerful 
gripe  of  Massan. 

"  Come,  Bryan,"  said  he,  "  you  know  very  well  that 
you  can't  swim  ;  you'd  only  make  things  worse." 

"  Och  !  murder  !  he  can't  swim  neither.  Let  me  go,  ye 
black  villain.  Thunder  an'  turf !  will  ye  see  the  poor  lad 
drownded  forenint  yer  two  eyes  ?  "  cried  the  poor  Irish 
man,  as  he  made  violent  but  unavailing  struggles  to  get 
free.  But  Massan  knew  that  to  allow  him  to  escape 
would  only  add  to  the  number  requiring  to  be  saved,  and 
as  he  himself  could  not  swim,  he  saw  at  once  that  the 
only  service  he  could  render  under  the  circumstances 
would  be  to  hold  the  Irishman-  down.  Clasping  him, 
therefore,  as  in  a  vice,  he  raised  his  head  and  gave  a 
shout  for  help  that  rolled  in  deep  echoes  among  the 
overhanging  cliffs.  Another  shout  was  uttered  at  the 
same  instant.  Edith,  who  happened  to  come  up  just  as 
La  Roche's  head  emerged  from  the  water  gasping  for 
breath,  uttered  a  wild  shriek  that  made  more  than  one 
heart  among  the  absentees  leap  as  they  flew,  to  the 
rescue. 


UNGAVA.  121 

Meanwhile  La  Roche  rose  and  sank  several  times  in 
the  surges  of  the  pool.  His  face  on  these  occasions  ex 
hibited  a  mingled  expression  of  terror  and  mischievous 
wildness ;  for  although  he  could  not  swim  a  stroke,  the 
very  buoyancy  of  his  mercurial  temperament  seemed 
partially  to  support  him,  and  a  feeling  of  desperate  de 
termination  induced  him  to  retain  a  death-like  gripe  of 
the  rod,  at  the  end  of  which  the  salmon  still  struggled. 
But  his  strength  was  fast  going,  and  he  sank  for  the  fourth 
time  with  a  bubbling  cry,  when  a  step  was  .heard  crashing 
through  the  adjacent  bushes,  and  Dick  Prince  sprang 
down  the  slope  like  a  deer.  He  did  not  pause  when  the 
scene  burst  upon  his  view,  but  a  smile  of  satisfaction 
played  upon  his  usually  grave  face  when  he  saw  Edith 
safe  on  the  banks  of  the  stream.  Another  spring  and  an 
agile  bound  sent  him  headlong  into  the  pool  about  a  yard 
from  the  spot  where  La  Roche  had  last  sunk.  Scarcely 
had  he  disappeared  when  the  dog  Chimo  bounded  towards 
the  scene  of  action,  and,  with  what  intent  no  one  could 
tell,  leaped  also  into  the  water.  By  this  time  Frank, 
Stanley,  and  nearly  all  the  party,  had  assembled  on  the 
bank  of  the  river,  ready  to  render  assistance.  In  a 
few  seconds  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  Dick 
Prince  rise,  holding  poor  La  Roche  by  the  collar  of  his 
capote  with  his  left  hand,  while  he  swam  vigorously  tow 
ards  the  shore  with  his  right.  But  during  the  various 
struggles  which  had  taken  place,  they  had  been  gradually 
sucked  into  the  stream  that  flowed  towards  the  lower 
rapid,  and  it  now  became  apparent  to  Prince  that  his  only 
chance  of  safety  was  in  catching  hold  of  the  point  of  rock 
that  formed  the  first  obstruction  to  the  rush  of  water. 
Abandoning  all  effort,  therefore,  to  gain  the  bank  beside 
him,  he  swam  with  the  current,  but  edged  towards  the 
shore  as  he  floated  down. 


122  UXGAVA. 

"  Hallo  !  La  Roche  !  "  he  exclaimed,  loudly.  "  Do 
you  hear  ?  do  you  understand  me  ?  " 

"  Ah !  oui,  vraiment.     I  not  dead  yit." 

"  Then  let  go  that  rod  and  seize  my  collar,  and  mind, 
sink  deep  in  the  water.  Show  only  enough  o'  your  face 
to  breathe  with,  or  I'll  drown  ye." 

The  Frenchman  obeyed  to  the  extent  of  seizing  Dick's 
collar  and  sinking  deep  in  the  water,  so  as  not  to  over 
burden  his  friend,  but  nothing  could  induce  him  to  quit 
the  rod  to  which  he  had  clung  so  long  and  so  resolutely. 
Prince's  arms  being  now  free,  one  or  two  powerful  strokes 
placed  him  beyond  the  influence  of  the  strong  current, 
and  as  he  passed  the  rocks  before  mentioned,  he  seized 
an  overhanging  branch  of  a  small  shrub,  by  which  he 
endeavored  to  drag  himself  ashore.  This,  however,  he 
found  to  be  impossible,  partly  owing  to  the  steepness  of 
the  shelving  rock,  and  partly  to  the  fact  that  Chimo,  in 
his  ill-directed  attempts  to  share  in  the  dangers  of  his 
friends,  had  seized  La  Roche  by  the  skirts  of  the  coat  in 
order  to  prevent  himself  from  going  down  the  stream. 
Those  on  shore,  on  seeing  Prince  make  for  the  rock,  ran 
towards  the  spot,  but  having  to  make  a  slight  detour 
round  the  bend  of  the  river,  they  did  not  reach  it  until 
he  seized  the  branch ;  and  when  Frank,  who  was  the 
first,  sprang  down  the  slope  to  the  rescue,  he  found  them 
streaming  out  and  waving  to  and  fro  in  the  current,  like 
some  monstrous  reptile,  Dick  holding  on  to  the  branch 
with  both  hands,  La  Roche  holding  on  to  Dick,  Chimo 
holding  on  by  his  teeth  to  La  Roche,  and  the  unfortunate 
salmon  holding  on  to  the  line  which  its  half-drowned 
captor  scorned  to  let  go. 

A  few  seconds  sufficed  to  drag  them  dripping  from  the 
stream  ;  and  the  energetic  little  Frenchman  no  sooner 


UNGAVA.  1 23 

found *flis  feet  on  solid  ground  than  he  hauled  out  his  fish 
and  landed  it  triumphantly  with  his  own  hand. 

"  'Tis  a  pretty  fish.  La  Roche,"  said  Frank,  laughing, 
as  he  busied  himself  in  taking  down  his  rod,  while  sev 
eral  of  the  men  assisted  Dick  Prince  to  wring  the  water 
out  of  his  clothes,  and  others  crowded  round  La  Roche 
to  congratulate  him.  on  his  escape.  "  'Tis  a  pretty  fish, 
but  it  cost  you  some  trouble  to  catch  it." 

"  Throuble,  indeed ! "  echoed  Bryan,  as  he  sat  on  a 
rock  smoking  his  pipe  ;  "  troth  it's  more  nor  him  came 
to  throuble  by  that  same  fish  ;  it  guve  me  the  throuble  o' 
bein'  more  nor  half  choked  by  Massan." 

"Half  choked,  Bryan!  what  mean  you?"  asked 
Frank. 

"  Mane  ?  I  just  mane  what  I  say ;  an'  the  raison  why's 
best  known  to  himself." 

A  loud  peal  of  laughter  greeted  Massan's  gi-aphic 
explanation  of  the  forcible  manner  in  which  he  had  pre 
vented  the  Irishman  from  throwing  himself  into  the 
river. 

The  party  now  turned  earnestly  to  the  more  serious 
duties  of  the  journey.  Already  too  much  time  had  been 
lost  in  this  "playing  themselves  with  fish,"  as  Stanley 
expressed  it,  and  it  behooved  them  to  embark  as  speedily 
as  possible.  About  a  mile  above  the  pool  which  had 
nearly  proved  fatal  to  La  Roche,  was  the  head  of  a 
series  of  insurmountable  rapids,  which  extended  all  the 
way  down  to  the  waterfall.  Beyond  this  was  a  pretty 
long  reach  of  calm  water,  up  which  they  proceeded 
easily ;  but  as  they  advanced  the  current  became  so  strong 
that  no  headway  could  be  made  with  the  paddles,  and  it 
was  found  necessary  to  send  a  party  of  the  men  ashore 
with  a  long  line  by  means  of  which  the  canoes  were 


124  UNGAVA. 

slowly  dragged  against  the  current.  At  length  they  came 
to  shallow  water,  which  necessitated  another  portage  ; 
and  as  it  was  about  sunset  when  they  reached  it,  Stan 
ley  ordered  the  tent  to  be  pitched  for  the  night,  and  the 
fire  lighted,  under  the  shadow  of  a  stupendous  mountain, 
the  rocky  sides  of  which  were  sprinkled  with  dwarf  pine- 
trees,  and  partially  covered  with  brush  and  herbage. 
Here  Edith  and  her  mother  discovered  multitudes  of 
berries,  the  most  numerous  being  cloud  and  crow  berries; 
both  of  which  were  found  to  be  good,  especially  the  for 
mer,  and  a  fragrant  dish  of  these  graced  the  towel  that 
evening  at  supper. 

Thus,  day  by  day,  our  adventurous  travellers  pene 
trated  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  heart  of  the  wilderness, 
which  became  more  savage  and  mountainous  as  they  left 
the  coast.  Stanley  drew  forth  his  quadrant  and  compass, 
wherewith  he  guided  the  party  towards  their  future 
home.  At  night,  after  the  labor  of  the  day  was  over,  he 
and  Frank  would  spread  their  charts  in  the  blaze  of  the 
camp-fire,  and  study  the  positions  of  the  land  so  far  as  it 
was  laid  down  ;  while  Edith  sat  beside  her  mother,  help 
ing  her  to  repair  the  torn  and  way-worn  habiliments  of 
her  husband  and  Frank,  or  listening  with  breathless 
interest  to  the  men,  as  they  recounted  their  experiences 
of  life  in  the  different  regions  through  which  they  had 
travelled.  Many  of  these  tales  were  more  or  less  col 
ored  by  the  fancy  of  the  narrators,  but  most  of  them  were 
founded  on  fact,  and  proved  an  unfailing  source  of  deep 
interest  to  the  little  child.  Frank's  fishing-rod  was  fre 
quently  in  requisition,  and  often  supplied  the  party  with 
more  than  enough  of  excellent  fish  ;  and  at  every  new 
bend  and  turn  of  the  innumerable  lakes  and  rivers 
through  which  they  passed,  reindeer  were  seen  bound- 


UNGAVA.  125 

ing  on  the  mountain  sides,  or  trotting  down  the  ravines 
to  quench  their  thirst  and  cool  their  sides  in  the  waters  ; 
so  that  food  was  abundant,  and  their  slender  stock  of  pro 
visions  had  not  to  be  trenched  upon  ;  while  the  berries 
that  grew  luxuriantly  everywhere,  proved  a  grateful 
addition  to-  their  store.  Thus,  day  by  day,  they  slowly 
retreated  farther  and  farther  from  the  world  of  mankind, — 
living  in  safety  under  the  protection  of  the  Almighty, 
and  receiving  the  daily  supply  of  all  their  necessities  from 
his  fatherly  and  bountiful  hand  ;  thus,  day  by  day,  they 
rose  with  the  sun,  and  lay  down  at  night  to  rest  upon  the 
mountain's  side,  or  by  the  river's  bank  ;  and  thus,  day  by 
day,  they  penetrated  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  heart  of 
the  unknown  wilderness. 


126  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  NEW  SCENE— TUB  ESQUIMAUX— DEER  SLAYING— ENEMIES  IN 
THE  BUSH. 

TURN  we  now  to  another,  a  more  distant,  and  a 
wilder  scene.  Near  the  bleak  shores  of  Hudson's 
Straits  there  flows  a  river  which  forms  an  outlet  to  the 
superfluous  waters  of  the  almost  unknown  territory  lying 
between  the  uninhabited  parts  of  Labrador  and  that 
tract  of  desert  land  which  borders  Hudson's  Bay  on  the 
east,  and  is  known  to  the  fur  traders  by  the  appellation 
of  East  Main.  This  river  is  called  the  Caneapusca,  and 
discharges  itself  into  Ungava  Bay. 

The  scene  to  which  we  would  turn  the  reader's  atten 
tion  is  upwards  of  twenty  miles  from  the  mouth  of  this 
river,  at  a  particular  bend,  where  the  stream  spreads 
itself  out  into  a  sheet  of  water  almost  worthy  of  being 
called  a  lake,  and  just  below  which  two  bold  cliffs  shut 
out  the  seaward  view,  and  cause  an  abrupt  narrowing 
of  the  river.  The  scene  is  peculiar,  and  surpassingly 
grand.  On  each  side  of  the  stream,  majestic  mountains 
raise  their  bald  and  rugged  peaks  almost  into  the  clouds. 
Little  herbage  grows  on  the  more  exposed  places,  and 
nothing,  save  here  and  there  a  stunted  and  weather-worn 
pine,  breaks  the  sharp  outline  of  the  cliffs.  But  in  the 
gorges  and  dark  ravines, — for  there  are  no  valleys, — 
clumps  of  small-sized  spruce-fir  and  larch  trees  throw  a 
softness  over  some  of  the  details  of  a  spot  whose  general 


UNGAVA.  127 

aspect  is  one  of  sterility.  The  mountains  rise  in  a  suc 
cession  of  irregular  steps  or  terraces,  whose  faces  are  so 
precipitous  that  they,  cannot  be  ascended.  To  accomplish 
the  feat  of  scaling  the  mountain-tops,  it  would  be  neces 
sary  to  clamber  up  a  ravine  until  the  first  terrace  should 
be  gained,  then,  walking  along  that,  ascend  the  next 
ravine,  and  so  on.  At  the  upper  end  of  the  lake  (as  we 
shall  hereafter  call  this  wide  part  of  the  river),  lies  a  low 
island,  fringed  with  a  scanty  growth  of  Avillows  ;  and,  not 
far  from  this,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river,  lies  a 
small  patch  of  level  sand.  This  spot  is  somewhat  pecul 
iar,  inasmuch  as  it  is  backed  by  a  low  platform  of  rock, 
whose  surface  is  smooth  as  a  table.  At  the  foot  of  this 
rock  bubbles  a  little  spring,  which,  meandering  through 
a  tangled  spot  of  stunted  shrubbery  ere  it  mingles  with 
the  sand,  gives  unusual  greenness  and  vitality  to  the  sur 
rounding  herbage.  On  the  edge  of  this  rocky  platform 
sat  the  figure  of  a  man. 

It  was  evening.  The  declining  sun  shot  its  last  few 
rays  over  the  brow  of  the  opposite  mountains,  and  bathed 
him  in  mellow  light,  as  he  sat  apparently  contemplating 
the  scene  before  him.  The  man's  costume  bespoke  him 
a  native  of  the  savage  region  in  the  midst  of  which  he 
seemed  the  only  human  being.  But  although  an  Esqui 
maux,  he  exhibited  several  physical  peculiarities  not  com 
monly  supposed  to  belong  to  that  people.  To  an  altitude 
of  six  feet  three  he  added  a  breadth  of-  shoulder  and 
expansion  of  chest  seldom  equalled  among  men  of  more 
highly  favored  climes ;  and  his  real  bulk  being  very 
greatly  increased  by  his  costume,  he  appeared  to  be  a 
very  giant, — no  unfitting  tenant  of  such  giant  scenery. 
The  said  costume  consisted  of  an  extremely  loose  coat  or 
shirt  of  deer-skin,  having  the  hair  outside  ;  and  a  capa- 


128  UNGAVA. 

cious  hood,  which  usually  hung  down  behind,  but  covered 
his  head  at  this  time,  in  order  to  protect  it  from  a  sharp 
nor'west  breeze  that  whirled  among  the  gullies  of  the 
mountains,  and,  surging  down  their  sides,  darkened  the 
surface  of  the  water.  A  pair  of  long  seal-skin  boots 
encased  his  limbs  from  foot  to  thigh  ;  and  a  little  wallet 
or  bag  of  seal-skin,  with  the  hair  outside,  hung  from  his 
shoulders.  Simple  although  this  costume  was,  it  had  a 
bulky  rotundity  of  appearance  that  harmonized  well  with 
the  giant's  frank,  good-humored  countenance,  which  wa> 
manly,  firm,  and  massive,  besides  being  rosy,  oily,  and 
fat.  In  the  latter  peculiarity  he  partook  of  the  well- 
known  characteristic  of  his  tribe  ;  but  the  effeminacy  in 
appearance  that  is  produced  by  a  round,  fat  face,  was 
done  away  in  the  case  of  our  giant  by  a  remarkably 
black  though  as  yet  downy  mustache  and  beard,  of  a 
length  suitable  to  •twenty-three  winters.  His  hair  was 
long,  straight,  and  black,  besides  being  uncommonly 
glossy — an  effect  attributable  to  the  prevalence  of  whale 
oil  in  these  regions.  On  the  forehead  the  locks  were  cut 
short,  so  as  to  afford  free  scope  to  his  black  eyes  and 
sturdy-looking  nose.  By  his  side  lay  a  long  hunting 
spear,  and  a  double-bladed  paddle,  fully  fifteen  feet  long  ; 
which  latter  belonged  to  a  kayak,  or  Esquimaux  canoe, 
that  lay  on  the  sand  close  to  the  water's  edge.  Sitting 
there,  motionless  as  the  rocks  around  him,  the  giant 
looked  like  a  colossal  statue  of  an  Esquimaux.  He  was 
no  figure  of  stone,  however,  but  a  veritable  human  being, 
as  was  proved  by  his  starting  suddenly  from  his  reverie 
and  hastening  towards  the  spring  before  mentioned,  at 
which  he  stooped  and  drank  rapidly,  like  one  who  had 
to  make  up  for  lost  time. 

After  a  few  hurried  gulps,  the  man  strode  towards  his 


UNGAVA.  129 

canoe,  but  as  he  went  his  restless  eye  became  fixed  on 
the  branching  antlers  of  a  deer,  that  were  tossed  in  tfie 
air  on  the  summit  of  a  neighboring  cliff.  Like  one  who 
is  suddenly  paralyzed,  the  Esquimaux  stood  transfixed 
in  the  attitude  in  which  he  had  been  arrested.  He  did 
not  even  seem  to  breathe,  as  the  antlers  moved  to  and 
fro,  clearly  defined  against  the  blue  sky.  At  length  they 
disappeared,  and  the  animal  to  which  they  belonged 
slowly  descended  a  ravine  towards  the  river.  Then,  as 
if  set  free  from  a  spell,  the  man  glided  into  his  kayak, 
and  swept  rapidly  but  noiselessly  behind  a  projecting 
point  of  rock,  where  he  waited  patiently  till  the  deer 
took  to  the  water.  He  had  not  long  to  wait,  however, 
for  in  a  few  minutes  afterwards  the  deer,  followed  by 
several  companionsr  walked  out  upon  the  patch  of  sand, 
snuffed  the  air  once  or  twice,  and  entered  the  stream  with 
the  intention  of  crossing. 

But  there  was  an  enemy  near  whom  they  little 
dreamed  of; — not  an  enemy  who  would  dash  excitedly 
into  the  midst  of  them,  or  awaken  the  thunders  of  the 
place  with  his  noisy  gun,  but  a  foe  who  could  patiently 
bide  his  time,  and  take  cool  and  quiet  advantage  of  it 
when  it  came.  When  the  deer  had  proceeded  about  a 
hundred  yards  into  the  river,  the  Esquimaux  dipped  his 
paddle  twice,  and  the  narrow,  sharp-pointed  canoe,  which, 
at  a  short  distance,  seemed  little  more  than  a  floating 
plank,  darted  through  the  water  and  ranged  alongside 
of  the  startled  animals.  The  fattest  of  the  herd  was 
separated  from  its  fellows  and  driven  towards  the  shore 
from  which  it  had  started,  while  the  others  struggled 
across  the  river.  Once  or  twice  the  separated  deer  en 
deavored  to  turn  to  rejoin  its  comrades  ;  an  attempt  which 
was  frustrated  by  the  Esquimaux,  who  could  paddle  in- 
9 


130  UNO  A  V  A. 

finitely  faster  over  the  water  in  his  skin  canoe  than  the 
deer  could  swim.  As  they  neared  the  shore,  the  giant  cast 
on  it  one  or  two  glances,  and,  having  made  up  his  mind 
as  to  the  most  convenient  spot  for  landing,  he  urged  the 
point  of  his  canoe  between  the  antlers  of  the  deer,  and 
steered  it  in  this  manner  to  the  sand-bank.  The  deer, 
thus  directed,  had  no  resource  but  to  land  where  its  per 
secutor  chose,  but  no  sooner  did  its  foot  touch  ground, 
than  it  sprang  convulsively  forward  in  the  vain  hope  to 
escape.  The  same  instant  its  captor's  canoe  shot  beside 
it.  Grasping  the  long  lance  before  mentioned  in  his 
hand,  he  placed  its  glittering  point  on  the  deer's  side, 
tickled  it  slowly  to  ascertain  that  it  was  between  two  ribs, 
and,  with  a  quick  thrust,  stabbed  it  to  the  heart.  A  con 
vulsive  shudder,  as  the  deer's  head  sank  in  the  stream, 
proved  that,  though  cold-blooded  in  appearance,  the  action 
was  more  effective  and  less  cruel  than  many  other  more 
approved  methods  of  killing  game. 

Our  Esquimaux  thought  neither  of  the  method  of  slay 
ing  his  deer  nor  of  man's  opinion  regarding  it.  His  sole 
object  was  to  procure  supper,  having  tasted  nothing  since 
early  morning ;  and  the  manner  in  which  he  ate  showed 
at  once  the  strength  of  his  appetite  and  his  total  indif 
ference  to  cookery,  for  he  ate  it  raw.  There  was  a  cer 
tain  appearance  of  haste  in  all  his  actions,  which,  how 
ever,  seemed  unaccountable,  considering  the  peaceful 
nature  of  the  vast  solitudes  around  him.  Scarcely  had 
he  cut  off  and  devoured  a  portion  of  the  deer  than  he 
hastened  again  to  his  canoe,  and  darted  like  an  arrow 
from  the  shore.  This  is  no  exaggerated  simile.  The 
long,  thin,  sharp  Esquimaux  kayak  is  highly  suggestive 
of  an  arrow  in  its  form,  and  much  more  so  in  its  extra 
ordinary  speed.  It  consists  of  an  extremely  light  frame- 


UNGAVA.  131 

work  of  wood  covered  with  seal-skin  parchment,  which 
is  stretched  upon  it  all  over  as  tight  as  a  drum.  The 
top  of  the  canoe  being  covered  as  well  as  the  bottom, 
it  is  thus,  as  it  were,  decked  ;  and  a  small  hole  in  the 
middle  of  this  deck  admits  its  occupant.  The  kayak  can 
only  hold  one  person.  The  paddle,  as  already  said,  is  a 
long  pole  with  a  blade  at  each  end.  It  is  dipped  alter 
nately  on  each  side,  and  is  used  not  only  to  propel  the 
kayak,  but  to  prevent  it  from  upsetting.  Indeed  so  liable 
is  it  to  upset,*that  nothing  but  the  wonderful  adroitness 
of  its  occupant  prevents  it  from  doing  so  with  every 
swing  of  his  body. 

Quick,  however,  though  the  kayak  sped  over  the  rip 
pling  wave,  it  could  not  have  escaped  the  messenger  of 
death  that  seemed  about  to  be  despatched  after  it  by  a 
dark-skinned,  red-painted  Indian,  who,  at  the  moment  the 
vessel  left  the  shore,  leaped  from  behind  a  rocky  point, 
and,  levelling  a  long  gun,  took  a  steady  aim  at  the  un 
conscious  Esquimaux.  A  little  puff  of  powder  answered 
to  the  click  of  the  lock,  as  the  gun  missed  fire.  With  an 
exclamation  of  anger  the  savage  seized  his  powder-horn 
to  reprime,  when  a  rude  grasp  was  laid  on  his  shoulder, 
and  another  Indian,  who,  from  the  eagle  feather  in  his 
hair,  and  his  general  bearing,  appeared  to  be  a  chief,  ex 
claimed, — 

"  Fool !  you  have  the  impatience  of  a  woman,  and  you 
have  not  yet  shown  that  you  have  the  heart  of  a  man. 
Would  the  scalp  of  yon  Eater-of-raw-flesh  pay  us  for 
coming  so  far  from  our  hunting  grounds  ?  If  your  gun 
had  spoken  among  these  mountains,  we  would  have  found 
the  empty  wigwams  of  his  people  instead  of  fringing  our 
belts  with  their  scalps." 

With  a  frown  of  an^er  the  chief  turned  on  his  heel 


132  UNGAVA. 

and  retraced  his  steps  into  the  ravine  from  which  he 
had  emerged,  followed  by  his  abashed  and  silent  com 
panion. 

Meanwhile  the  Esquimaux,  ignorant  of  the  fate  from 
which  he  had  just  escaped,  continued  to  ply  his  paddle 
with  right  good-will.  The  little  craft,  obedient  to  the 
powerful  impulse,  combined  as  it  was  with  the  current  of 
the  ebb-tide,  flew  rather  than  floated  toward  the  narrows, 
through  which  it  passed,  and  opened  up  a  view  of  the 
ice-encumbered  waters  of  Ungava  Bay.  Directing  his 
course  along  the  western  shores  of  the  river,  the  Es 
quimaux  speedily  reached  the  coast  at  a  point  where 
several  low,  rough-built  summer  huts  clustered  near  the 
shore.  Here  he  ran  his  kayak  into  a  little  creek,  and, 
having  lifted  it  beyond  tide  mark,  betook  himself  to  his 
•dwelling. 


UNGAVA.  133 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

SAVAGE  LOVE— A  WIFE  PURCHASED— THE  ATTACK— THE  FLIGHT- 
TUB  ESCAPE— THE  WOUNDED  MAN. 

SCARCELY  had  the  stout  Esquimaux  proceeded  a 
few  steps  along  the  shore,  when  he  was  met  by  a 
young  girl  who  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm.  Taking  her 
gently  by  the  shoulders,  he  drew  her  towards  him,  and 
kissed  her  on  both  cheeks, — an  action  which  caused  her 
to  blush  deeply,  as,  with  a  half  smile  half  frown  on  her 
face,  she  pushed  him  away. 

Love  is  the  same  all  the  world  over,  whether  it  glows 
beneath  the  broadcloth  and  spotless  linen  of  a  civilized 
gentleman,  or  under  the  deer-skin  coat  of  a  savage. 
And  its  expression,  we  suspect,  is  somewhat  similar 
everywhere.  The  coy  repulse  of  pretended  displeasure 
came  as  naturally  from  our  plump  little  arctic  heroine  as 
it  could  have  xlone  from  the  most  civilized  flirt ;  and  was 
treated  with  well-simulated  contrition  by  our  arctic  giant, 
as  they  walked  slowly  towards  the  huts.  But  the  Es 
quimaux  had  other  matters  than  love  in  his  head  just 
then,  and  the  girl's  face  assumed  a  grave  and  somewhat 
anxious  look  as  he  continued  to  whisper  in  her  ear. 

At  the  little  hamlet  they  separated,  and  the  maiden 
went  to  her  grandfather's  abode,  while  her  lover,  lifting 
the  skin-curtain  door  of  a  rudely-constructed  hut,  entered 
his  own  humble  dwelling.  The  room  was  empty,  and 
its  owner  did  not  seem  as  if  he  meant  to  cheer  it  with 
his  presence  long.  In  one  corner  lay  a  pile  of  miscella- 


134  UNGAVA. 

neous  articles,  which  he  removed,  and,  taking  the  tusk  of 
a  walrus  which  lay  near  his  hand,  began  to  dig  with  it  in 
the  sand.  In  a  few  seconds  it  struck  a  hard  substance, 
and  the  Esquimaux,  putting  his  hand  into  the  hole,  drew 
forth  a  glittering  axe,  upon  which  he  gazed  with  supreme 
satisfaction. 

Now  be  it  known  to  you,  reader,  that  among  the  Es 
quimaux  of  the  frozen  north,  iron  is  regarded  with  about 
as  much  delight  as  gold  is  by  ourselves.  And  the  rea 
son  is  simple  enough.  These  poor  people  live  entirely 
upon  the  produce  of  the  chase.  Polar  bears,  seals,  wal 
ruses,  and  whales,  are  their  staff  of  life.  To  procure 
these  animals,  spears  are  necessary  ;  to  skin  and  cut 
them  up,  knives  are  needful.  But  bone  and  stone  make 
sorry  knives  and  spears ;  so  that  when  a  bit  of  iron,  no 
matter  how  poor  its  quality  or  small  its  size,  can  be  ob 
tained,  it  is  looked  on  as  the  most  valuable  of  posses 
sions  ;  and  the  ingenuity  displayed  by  Esquimaux  in 
fashioning  the  rudest  piece  of  metal  into  the  most  useful 
of  implements  is  truly  astonishing  ;  proving,  in  the  most 
satisfactory  way,  that  necessity  is  indeed  the  mother  of 
invention.  The  precious  metal  is  obtained  in  two  ways  : 
By  the  discovery  of  a  wreck,  which  is  extremely  rare ; 
and  by  barter  with  those  tribes  which  sometimes  visit  the 
Moravian  settlements  of  Labrador  But  neither  source  is 
very  productive.  Even  a  nail  is  treasured  as  a  blessing, 
while  an  axe  is  a  fortune !  When  our  giant,  therefore, 
drew  forth  the  shining  implement,  and  gazed  with  delight 
at  its  keen  edge,  he  experienced  as  great  satisfaction  as 
a  miser  does  when  gloating  over  his  banker's  book  ! 

Having  satisfied  himself  that  the  axe  was  free  from 
all  approximation  to  rust,  he  stuck  it  into  a  belt  of  raw 
hide,  which  he  put  on  for  the  express  purpose  of  sustain- 


UNGAVA.  135 

ing  it, — as  Esquimaux  do  not  generally  wear  belts.  He 
then  sallied  forth,  and  walked  with  the  air  of  a  man  who 
wears  the  grand  cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.  As  he 
went  to  the  hut  in  which  lived  the  oldest  man  of  the 
tribe,  the  shade  of  anxiety,  which  had  clouded  his  brow 
more  than  once  during  the  day,  again  rested  on  his  face. 
On  entering,  he  observed  the  old  Esquimaux  listening 
with  anxious  countenance  to  the  young  girl  whom  we 
have  already  introduced  to  the  reader. 

Now  this  girl — Aneetka  by  name — was  by  no  means 
an  angel  in  Esquimaux  habiliments.  Among  civilized 
folk  probably  she  would  not  have  been  deemed  even 
pretty.  Nevertheless  in  the  eyes  of  her  lover  she  was 
most  decidedly  beautiful,  and  round,  and  fat.  and  rosy,  and 
young,  awkward,  and  comfortable  !  And  the  giant  loved 
her, — never  so  strongly,  perhaps,  as  when  he  saw  her 
striving  to  allay  the  fears  of  her  old  grandfather.  But 
this  same  grandfather  was  obstinate.  He  wanted  her  to 
become  the  wife  of  an  Esquimaux  who  lived  far  to  the 
westward,  and  who  once  had  dealings  with  the  fur  trad 
ers,  and  from  whom  he  expected  to  derive  considerable 
advantages  and  gifts  of  bits  of  hoop-iron  and  nails.  But 
she  wanted  to  become  the  giant's  wife, — so  there  the 
matter  stood. 

"  The  spirits  o'  the  wind  and  sea  protect  us,  and  may 
the  god  o'  the  mist  cover  us ! "  said  the  old  man,  as  the 
young  Esquimaux  sat  down  on  a  dead  seal  beside  him. 
"  Is  it  true  that  you  saw  the  men  of  fire  ?  " 

This  was,  of  course,  said  in  the  language  of  the  Es 
quimaux,  and  we  render  it  as  literally  as  possible. 

"  Yes,  it  is  true,"  replied  the  young  man.  "  I  saw 
them  at  the  rapid  water  in  Caneapusca,  and  I  took  kayak 
to  bring  the  news." 


136  UNGAVA. 

Various  exclamations  of  mingled  surprise  and  anger 
escaped  from  the  compressed  lips  of  several  stalwart  na 
tives,  who  had  crowded  into  the  tent  on  hearing  of  the 
arrival  of  their  comrade. 

"Yes,"  continued  the  young  man,  "  we  must  go  away 
this  night.  They  had  fire-tubes,  and  there  were  thirty 
men.  We  have  only  ten." 

Again  a  murmur  ran  through  the  listeners,  but  no  one 
spoke  for  a  few  seconds. 

"  Did  they  see  you  ?  "  asked  the  old  man,  anxiously. 

"  No.  I  came  on  them  suddenly,  when  I  was  cha.sing 
deer,  and  almost  ran  into  their  camp ;  but  I  saw,  and  fell 
in  the  grass.  I  thought  the  chief  raised  his  head  quickly 
when  I  fell ;  but  he  looked  down  again,  and  I  crawled 
away." 

In  this  the  young  Esquimaux  was  mistaken.  He 
knew  little  of  the  craft  and  the  quickness  of  the  red  In 
dian,  and  easily  fell  into  the  snare  of  his  savage  enemy, 
who,  having  been  momentarily  startled  by  the  sudden 
sound  of  the  Esquimaux's  approach,  had  endeavored  to 
throw  him  off  his  guard,  by  pretending  that  although  he 
heard  the  sound  he  thought  nothing  of  it.  But  no  sooner 
had  the  Esquimaux  retired  than  he  was  closely  followed 
and  watched  by  the  whole  party.  They  could  have 
easily  shot  him,  but  refrained  from  doing  so,  that  he 
might  unwittingly  be  their  guide  to  the  habitations  of  his 
people.  The  rapid  flight  of  his  kayak  distanced  his  pur 
suers  at  first,  but  they  made  up  for  this  during  an  hour 
or  two  in  the  night,  when  the  tired  Esquimaux  allowed 
himself  a  short  season  of  repose  to  recruit  his  energies 
for  the  following  day's  journey.  During  this  period  the 
Indians  shot  far  ahead  of  him,  and  when  he  arrived  at 
the  coast  next  day  they  were  not  much  in  the  rear. 


UNGAVA.  137 

"  And  now,  old  man,"  said  our  young  Esquimaux,  "  it 
is  time  that  I  should  have  my  wife.  If  the  Allat  *  come 
here  to-night,  as  I  know  they  will,  I  want  to  have  a 
right  to  defend  her,  and  carry  her  away  when  we  flee. 
Are  you  willing  ?  " 

The  young  giant  said  this  with  a  degree  of  rough 
ness  and  decision  that  at  any  other  time  would  have 
made  the  obstinate  old  grandfather  refuse  point-blank ; 
but  as  there  was  every  probability  of  having  to  flee  for 
his  life  ere  the  break  of  another  day,  and  as  his  old  heart 
trembled  within  him  at  the  thought  of  the  dreaded  guns 
of  the  Indians,  he  merely  shook  his  head  and  pondered  a 
little. 

"  What  will  you  give  me  ?  "  he  said,  looking  up. 

The  young  man  answered  by  drawing  the  axe  from 
his  belt  and  laying  it  on  the  ground  before  him.  The 
old  man's  eyes  glistened  with  pleasure  as  he  surveyed  the 
costly  gift. 

"  Good  ;  that  will  do.     Take  her  and  go." 

A  second  bidding  was  not  needed.  The  young  man 
arose  hastily,  took  his  blushing  bride  by  the  hand,  and  led 
her  from  the  tent  of  her  grandfather  towards  his  own. 
Here  she  set  to  work  instantly  to  assist  her  husband  in 
hurriedly  packing  up  their  goods  and  chattels ;  and,  im 
mediately  afterwards,  the  little  village  became  a  perfect 
Babel  of  confusion,  as  the  alarmed  inhabitants,  on  learn 
ing  the  threatened  danger,  prepared  for  instant  flight. 
In  less  than  an  hour  the  most  of  them  were  ready.  The 
men  launched  their  kayaks,  while  the  women,  having 
loaded  their  oomiaks  with  their  goods,  tossed  their  dogs 
and  children  on  the  top  of  them. 

*  Esquimaux  name  for  Indians. 


138  UNGAVA. 

The  oomiak,  or  women's  boat,  is  quite  a  different  affair 
from  the  kayak,  in  which  the  men  travel  singly.  It  is 
usually  made  large  and  capacious,  in  order  to  hold  the 
entire  household  of  the  Esquimaux.  Like  the  kayak  it 
is  made  of  skin,  but  has  no  covering  above,  and  is  pro 
pelled  by  means  of  short  single-bladed  paddles,  which 
are  worked  by  the  women,  upon  whom  devolves  the 
entire  care  and  management  of  the  oomiak.  It  is  a 
clumsy  affair  to  look  at,  but  like  the  boats  of  savages, 
generally,  it  is  uncommonly  useful  arid  a  good  sea-boat. 

While  the  Esquimaux  were  busied  in  completing  their 
arrangements,  one  of  the  dogs  rushed  towards  the 
bushes  that  lined  the  shore  just  behind  the  village, 
and  barked  vociferously.  Instantly  it  was  joined  by 
the  whole  pack,  and  the  Esquimaux,  who,  ever  since 
they  had  heard  of  the  proximity  of  their  Indian  foes, 
were  in  a  state  of  the  utmost  trepidation,  made  a  gen 
eral  rush  towards  their  canoes.  Before  they  reached 
them,  however,  a  volley  of  musketry  was  fired  from  the 
bushes,  and  three  of  their  number — a  man  and  two 
women — filled  the  air  with  their  death-shriek,  as  they 
fell  dead  upon  the  beach ;  while  the  Indians  sprang 
from  their  concealment,  and,  brandishing  their  knives 
and  tomahawks,  rushed  with  a  fearful  yell  upon  the  ter 
ror  stricken  Esquimaux. 

Shrill  and  terrible  though  the  Indian  war-cry  is  pro 
verbially  known  to  be,  it  was  excelled  in  appalling 
wildness  by  the  shriek  which  arose  from  the  Esqui 
maux,  as  they  hurried  tumultuously  into  their  canoes 
and  put  off  to  sea.  These  poor  creatures  were  natu 
rally  brave, — much  more  so,  indeed,  than  their  assail 
ants  ;  but  the  murderous  effects  of  the  terrible  gun 
caused  the  sternest  brow  among  them  to  blanch,  and 


UNGAVA.  139 

• 

the  stoutest  heart  to  quail.  The  arrow  and  the  spear, 
however  rapid,  could  be  avoided  if  observed  in  time ; 
but  this  dreaded  implement  of  destruction  was  so  mys 
terious  to  them,  and  its  death-dealing  bullet  so  quick,  and 
the  smoke,  the  fire,  and  the  loud  report,  so  awful,  that 
they  shuddered  even  when  they  thought  of  it.  No  wonder, 
then,  that  they  uttered  a  despairing  cry  when  it  actually 
sounded  in  their  ears. 

When  the  dogs  first  gave  tongue,  our  tall  Esquimaux 
was  alone  in  his  hut,  having  just  sent  his  wife  down 
with  a  bundle  to  the  oomiak ;  when  the  volley  rang  in 
his  ears,  he  rushed  towards  the  beach,  supposing  that 
she  was  there  before  him.  This  was  not  the  case,  how 
ever.  Aneetka  had  gone  towards  her  grandfather's  hut, 
and  when  the  Indians  fired  she  rushed  in  to  assist  him  to 
fly.  But  the  old  man  was  already  gone.  Turning  in 
stantly,  she  sprang  nimbly  towards  the  shore.  At  that 
moment  a  single  shot  was  fired,  and  she  saw  her  husband 
stumble  forward  and  fall  headlong  to  the  earth,  where  he 
lay  motionless.  Her  first  impulse  was  to  run  towards 
the  body  and  throw  herself  upon  it ;  but  this  intention 
was  effectually  checked  by  a  strong  dark-skinned  arm 
which  encircled  her  waist,  and,  despite  her  cries  and 
struggles,  bore  her  away  into  the  bushes.  Her  captor 
was  the  Indian  whose  gun  once  before  on  that  day  had 
been  levelled  at  her  lover's  head. 

AVhen  the  young  Esquimaux  fell,  as  already  related, 
he  was  so  close  to  the  water,  that  he  stumbled  into  it, 
and,  fortunately,  not  a  yard  distant  from  an  oomiak 
which  the  women  were  franticly  thrusting  into  the  sea. 
They  had  no  time  to  lift  so  heavy  a  weight  on  board,  but, 
as  the  light  craft  darted  from  the  shore,  an  old  woman, 
who  had  often  received  kind  attentions  from  the  good- 


140  UXGAVA. 

• 

natured  youth,  leant  over  the  stern  and  seized  him  by 
the  hair.  In  this  manner  he  was  dragged  through  the 
water  until  they  were  out  of  gunshot,  when  he  was  lifted 
inside  and  laid  beside  the  dogs  and  children.  Meanwhile 
the  Indians  had  rushed  into  the  water  up  to  their  middle, 
in  the  hope  of  catching  the  last  of  the  little  fleet,  but 
without  success.  Mad  with  disappointed  rage,  they 
waded  back  to  the  shore,  and,  standing  in  a  line  along 
the  edge  of  the  waves,  reloaded  their  guns  with  the  ut 
most  rapidity.  The  poor  Esquimaux  knew  well  what 
would  follow,  and  strained  every  nerve  to  increase  their 
distance.  Once  more  the  guns  belched  forth  their  leaden 
shower,  which  went  skipping  over  the  water  towards  the 
flotilla.  Only  one  kayak  was  hit  by  the  discharge.  It 
was  that  of  the  old  grandfather  already  mentioned.  The 
ball  ripped  up  the  side  of  the  canoe,  which  filled  and 
upset,  and  the  poor  old  man  would  certainly  have  been 
drowned,  but  for  the  opportune  coming  up  of  the  oomiak 
containing  his  wounded  grandson.  The  old  woman  who 
had  already  saved  the  life  of  the  young  giant  of  the 
tribe,  again  put  forth  her  skinny  hand  and  grasped  the 
patriarch,  who  was  soon  hauled  on  board  in  safety.  A 
few  minutes  more  placed  the  whole  party  out  of  danger. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Indians,  furious  with  disappoint 
ment,  scalped  the  three  dead  bodies  and  tossed  them  into 
the  sea ;  after  which  they  went  into  the  huts  in  order  to 
collect  all  the  valuables  that  might  have  been  left  be 
hind.  Very  little,  however,  was  to  be  found,  as  the 
entire  property  of  an  Esquimaux  is  not  worth  much 
to  a  red  man.  The  most  useful  thing  they  laid  hands 
on  was  the  axe  which  the  old  grandfather  had  left  be 
hind  in  his  hurried  flight.  Having  taken  all  they 
could  carry,  the  savages  destroyed  the  rest,  and  then, 


UNGAVA.  141 

setting  fire  to  the  village,  they  returned  to  the  bush. 
Here  a  fire  was  made,  and  a  council  of  war  held. 

When  the  Indian  who  had  captured  the  Esquimaux 
girl  led  her  forward  towards  the  fire,  there  was  a  gen 
eral  yell  of  indignation.  Tomahawks  were  grasped, 
and  more  than  one  knife  was  unsheathed.  But  the 
chief  commanded  silence. 

"  What  does  White  Heart  mean  to  do  with  the  Eater- 
of-raw-flesh  ?  "  he  inquired,  turning  to  the  young  man. 

"  He  will  take  her  to  the  hunting-grounds  of  the 
Crees." 

"  That  cannot  be,"  said  the  chief.  "  The  girl  must 
die,  and  White  Heart  must  kill  her." 

The  young  man  made  no  reply. 

"  If,"  continued  the  chief,  sarcastically,  "  White  Heart 
is  afraid  to  see  blood  on  his  knife,  another  warrior  will 
show  him  how  to  do  it !  " 

As  he  spoke,  a  dark-visaged  savage  drew  his  scalping- 
knife,  and,  with  one  stride,  stood  beside  the  trembling 
girl,  who,  during  the  consultation  of  the  savages,  had 
stood  silently  beside  her  captor  listening  intently  to  the 
words  which  she  did  not  comprehend. 

Seizing  her  by  the  shoulder,  the  savage  plunged  his 
knife  at  her  bosom  ;  but,  ere  the  keen  point  reached  it, 
the  arm  was  caught  by  the  young  Indian,  and  the  scowl 
ing  savage  was  hurled  violently  back.  With  dilated  eye 
and  expanded  nostril,  the  young  man,  not  deigning  to 
bestow  a  glance  upon  his  fallen  comrade,  turned  to  his 
chief  and  said, — 

"  Did  not  I  take  her  ?  The  girl  is  mine.  I  will  carry 
her  to  my  tent  and  make  her  my  icife" 

"  Be  it  so,"  replied  the  chief  abruptly.  Then  turning 
to  his  followers,  he  gave  orders  to  start  immediately. 


142  UNGAVA. 

In  a  few  minutes  all  was  ready.  The  chief  led  the 
way  into  the  bush.  The  Esquimaux  girl  and  her  cap 
tor  followed,  and  the  whole  band,  silently  «and  in  single 
file,  commenced  to  retrace  their  steps  to  the  far  distant 
hunting  ^rounds  of  the  Cree  Indians. 


UNGAVA.  143 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE  PURSUIT— SEAL  SPEARING— THE  GIANT'S  DESPAIR. 

WHEN  the  young  Esquimaux  began  to  recover 
from  the  lethargic  state  into  which  his  wound 
had  thrown  him,  he  found  himself  lying  at  the  bottom  of 
the  women's  oomiak,  with  his  old  grandfather  by  his 
side,  and  a  noisy  crew  of  children  and  dogs  around  him. 
Raising  himself  on  his  elbow,  he  brushed  the  clotted 
blood  and  hair  from  his  temples,  and  endeavored  to  re 
call  his  scattered  faculties.  Seeing  this,  the  old  crone 
who  had  saved  his  life  laid  down  her  paddle,  and  handed 
him  a  seal-skin  cup  of  water,  which  he  seized  and  drank 
with  avidity.  Fortunately,  the  wound  on  his  forehead, 
although  it  had  stunned  him  severely  at  first,  was  tri 
fling,  and  in  a  few  minutes  after  partaking  of  the  cool 
water,  he  recovered  sufficiently  to  sit  up  and  look  around 
him. 

Gradually  his  faculties  returned,  and  he  started  up 
with  a  troubled  look. 

"  Where  are  the  Allat  ?  Where  is  my  wife  ?  "  he  ex 
claimed,  vehemently,  as  his  eye  fell  on  the  prostrate  form 
of  his  still  insensible  grandfather. 

"  Gone,"  answered  several  of  the  women. 

"  Gone  !  "  repeated  the  youth,  gazing  wildly  among 
the  faces  around  him  in  search  of  that  of  his  wife. 
"  Gone !  Tell  me,  is  she  in  one  of  the  other  oomiaks  ?  " 

The  women  trembled  as  they  answered  "  No." 


144  UNGAVA. 

"Have  the  Allat  got  her ? " 

There  was  no  reply  to  this  question ;  but  he  did  not 
need  one.  Springing  like  a  tiger  to  the  stern  of  the 
oomiak,  he  seized  the  steering  paddle,  and  turning  the 
head  of  the  boat  towards  the  shore,  paddled  with  all  his 
energy.  Nearly  two  hours  had  elapsed  since  they  had 
commenced  their  flight,  and  as  all  danger  of  pursuit  was 
over  the  moment  the  Indians  turned  their  backs  on  the 
sea,  the  Esquimaux  had  gradually  edged  in-shore  again, 
so  that  a  few  minutes  sufficed  to  run  the  prow  of  the 
oomiak  on  the  shingle  of  the  beach.  Without  saying  a 
word,  the  young  man  sprang  over  the  side,  drew  a  hunt 
ing  spear  from  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  and  hurried  back 
in  the  direction  of  the  deserted  village  at  the  top  of  his 
speed.  The  women  knew  that  nothing  could  stop  him, 
and  feeling  that  he  was  quite  able  to  take  care  of  himself, 
they  quietly  put  to  sea  again,  and  continued  their  voyage. 

The  limbs  of  the  young  Esquimaux,  as  we  have  al 
ready  said,  were  gigantic  and  powerful,  enabling  him  to 
traverse  the  country  at  a  pace  which  few  of  his  fellows 
could  keep  up  with  ;  and  although  a  stern-chase  is  pro 
verbially  a  long  one,  and  the  distance  between  two  par 
ties  travelling  in  opposite  directions  is  amazingly  in 
creased  in  a  short  space  of  time,  there  is  no  doubt  that 
he  would  have  overtaken  his  Indian  foes  ere  many  hours 
had  passed,  but  for  the  wound  in  his  head,  which,  al 
though  not  dangerous,  compelled  him  more  than  once  to 
halt  and  sit  down,  in  order  to  prevent  himself  from  fall 
ing  into  a  swoon.  Hunger  had  also  something  to  do  with 
this  state  of  weakness,  as  he  had  eaten  nothing  for  many 
hours.  In  his  hasty  departure  from  the  boat,  however, 
he  had  neglected  to  take  any  provisions  with  him,  so  that 
he  had  little  hope  of  obtaining  refreshment  before  arriv- 


UXGAVA.  1 45 

ing  at  the  village,  where  some  scraps  might  perhaps  be 
picked  up. 

Slowly,  and  with  a  reeling  brain,  he  staggered  on  ;  but 
here  no  relief  awaited  him,  for  every  scrap  of  food  had 
been  either  taken  away  or  destroyed  by  the  Indians; 
and  it  was  with  a  heavy  sigh  and  a  feeling  akin  to 
despair,  that  he  sat  down  beside  the  blackened  ruins  of 
his  late  home. 

But  Esquimaux,  more  than  other  men,  are  accustomed 
to  reverses  of  fortune,  and  the  sigh  with  which  he  re 
garded  the  ruins  of  his  hut  had  no  reference  whatever  to. 
the  absence  of  food.  He  knew  that  about  this  time  the- 
mouth  of  the  riverwould  be  full  of  ice,  carried  up  by  the- 
flood-tide,  and  that  seals  would,  in  all  probability,  be- 
found  on  it ;  so  he  started  up,  and  hastening  along  the- 
beach  soon  gained  the  floes,  which  he  examined  carefully. 
A  glance  or  two  sufficed  to  show  him  that  he  was  right 
in  this  conjecture.  On  a  sheet  of  ice  not  more  than  a 
couple  of  hundred  yards  from  shore  were  two  seals  fast 
asleep.  These  he  prepared  to  stalk.  Between  the  floe 
and  the  shore  ran  a  stream  of  water  twenty  yards  broad. 
Over  this  he  ferried  himself  on  a  lump  of  loose  ice  ; 
and,  on  reaching  the  floe,  he  went  down  on  his  hands 
and  knees,  holding  the  spear  in  his  right  hand  as  he 
advanced  cautiously  towards  his  victim. 

The  Esquimaux  seal-spear  is  a  curious  weapon,  and 
exhibits  in  a  high  degree  the  extraordinary  ingenuity  of 
the  race.  The  handle  is  sometimes  made  of  the  horn  of 
the  narwhal,  but  more  frequently  of  wood.  It  has  a  mov 
able  head  or  barb,  to  which  a  long  line  of  walrus  hide  or 
seal-skin  is  attached.  This  barb  is  made  of  ivory  tipped 
with  iron, -and  is  attached  to  the  handle  in  such  a  way 
that  it  becomes  detached  from  it  the  instant  the  animal  is 
10 


146  UNGAVA. 

struck,  and  remains  firmly  imbedded  in  the  wound  with 
the  line  fastened  to  it,  while  the  handle  floats  away  on 
the  water  or  falls  on  the  ice,  as  the  case  may  be. 

When  the  Esquimaux  had  approached  to  within  a 
hundred  yards,  he  lay  down  at  full  length  and  slowly 
worked  himself  forward.  Meanwhile  the  seals  raised 
their  head's;  but  seeing,  as  they  imagined,  a  companion 
coming  towards  them,  they  did  not  make  for  their  holes, 
which  were  a  few  yards  distant  from  them.  Having 
drawn  near  enough  to  render  the  animals  suspicious,  the 
young  giant  now  sprang  up,  rushed  forward,  and  got 
between  one  seal  and  its  hole  just  as  its  more  active  com 
panion  dived  into  the  water.  In  another  moment  the 
deadly  lance  transfixed  its  side  and  killed  it.  This  was 
a»fortunate  supply  to  the  Esquimaux,  whose  powers  of 
endurance  were  fast  failing.  lie  immediately  sat  down 
on  his  victim,  and  cutting  a  large  steak  from  its  side, 
speedily  made  a  meal  that  far  exceeded  the  powers  of 
any  alderman  whatsoever !  It  required  but  a  short  time 
to  accomplish,  however,  and  a  shorter  time  to  transfer 
several  choice  junks  to  his  wallet ;  with  which  replen 
ished  store  he  resumed  his  journey. 

Although  the  man's  vigor  was  restored  for  a  time,  so 
that  he  travelled  with  great  speed,  it  did  not  last  long, 
owing  to  the  wound  in  his  head,  which  produced  fre 
quent  attacks  of  giddiness,  and  at  last  compelled  him, 
much  against  his  will,  to  halt  for  a  couple  of  hours'  re 
pose.  Glancing  round,  in  order  to  select  a  suitable 
camping  ground,  he  soon  observed  such  a  spot  in  the 
form  of  a  broad  overhanging  ledge  of  rock,  beneath  which 
there  was  a  patch  of  scrubby  underwood.  Here  he  lay 
down  with  the  seal  blubber  for  a  pillow,  and  was  quickly 
buried  in  deep,  untroubled  slumber.  In  little  more  than 


UXGAVA.  147 

two  hours  lie  awoke  with  a  start,  and,  after  a  second 
application  to  the  contents  of  the  wallet,  resumed  his 
solitary  march.  The  short  rest  seemed  to  have  quite 
restored  his  wonted  vigor,  for  he  now  stalked  up  the 
banks  of  the  river  at  a  rate  which  seemed  only  to  accel 
erate  as  he  advanced.  As  has  been  already  said,  these 
banks  were  both  rugged  and  precipitous.  In  some  places 
the  rocks  jutted  out  into  the  water,  forming  promontories 
over  which  it  was  difficult  to  climb ;  and  frequently  these 
capes  terminated  in  abrupt  precipices,  necessitating  a 
detour  in  order  to  advance.  In  other  places  the  coast 
was  indented  with  sandy  bays,  which  more  than  doubled 
the  distance  the  traveller  would  have  had  to  accomplish 
had  he  possessed  a  kayak.  Unfortunately  in  his  hasty 
departure  he  neglected  to  take  one  with  him  ;  but  he  did 
his  best  to  atone  for  this  oversight  by  making  almost 
superhuman  exertions.  He  strode  over  the  sands  like 
an  ostrich  of  the  desert,  and  clambered  up  the  cliffs  and 
over  the  rocks — looking,  in  his  hairy  garments,  like  a 
shaggy  polar  bear.  The  thought  of  his  young  and  pretty 
bride,  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  his  bitterest  foes,  and 
doomed  to  a  life  of  slavery,  almost  maddened  him,  and 
caused  his  dark  eye  to  flash,  and  his  broad  bosom  to 
heave  with  pent-up  emotion,  while  it  spurred  him  on  to 
put  forth  exertions  that  were  far  beyond  the  powers  of 
any  member  of  his  tribe,  and  could  not,  under  less  excit 
ing  circumstances,  have  been  performed  even  by  himself. 
As  to  what  were  his  intentions  should  he  overtake  the 
Indians,  he  knew  not.  The  agitation  of  his  spirits,  com 
bined  with  the  influence  of  his  wound,  induced  him  to 
act  from  impulse ;  and  the  wild  tumult  of  his  feelings, 
prevented  him  from  calculating  the  consequences  or  per 
ceiving  the  hopelessness  of  an  attack  made  by  one  man, 


148  UNGAVA. 

armed  only  w.ith  knife  and  spear,  against  a  body  of  In 
dians  who  possessed  the  deadly  gun. 

Alas  !  for  the  sorrows  of  the  poor  human  race.  In  all 
lands  they  are  much  the  same,  whether  civilized  or  sav 
age, — virtue  and  vice  alternately  triumphing.  Bravery, 
candor,  heroism,  in  fierce  contest  with  treachery,  cow 
ardice,  and  malevolence,  form  the  salient  points  of  the 
record  among  all  nations,  and  in  all  ages.  No  puissant 
knight  of  old  ever  buckled  on  his  panoply  of  mail,  seized 
his  sword  and  lance,  mounted  his  charger,  and  sallied 
forth,  single-handed,  to  deliver  his  mistress  from  en 
chanted  castle,  in  the  face  of  appalling  perils,  with  hotter 
haste,  or  a  more  thorough  contempt  of  danger,  than  did 
our  Esquimaux  giant  pursue  the  Indians  who  had  cap 
tured  his  bride  ;  but,  like  many  a  daring  spirit  of  romance, 
the  giant  failed,  and  that  through  no  fault  of  his. 

On  arriving  at  the  rocky  platform  beside  the  spring, 
where  we  first  introduced  him  to  the  reader,  the  Esqui 
maux  sat  down,  and,  casting  his  spear  on  the  ground, 
gazed  around  him  witli  a  look  of  despair.  It  was  not  a 
slight  matter  that  caused  this  feeling  to  arise.  Notwith 
standing  his  utmost  exertions,  he  had  been  unable  to 
overtake  the  Indians  up  to  this  point,  and  beyond  this 
point  it  was  useless  to  follow  them.  The  mountains  here 
were  divided  into  several  distinct  gorges,  each  of  which 
led  into  the  interior  of  the  country,  and  it  was  impossible 
to  ascertain  which  of  th<3se  had  been  taken  by  the  In 
dians,  as  the  bare  rocky  land  retained  no  mark  of  their 
light  moccasoned  feet.  Had  the  pursuer  been  an  Indian, 
the  well-known  sagacity  of  the  race  in  following  a  trail, 
Jiowever  slight,  might  have  enabled  him  to  trace  the  route 
of  the  party ;  but  the  Esquimaux  are  unpractised  in  this 
stealthy,  dog-like  quality.  Their  habits  and  the  require- 


UXGAVA.  149 

ments  of  their  condition  render  it  almost  unnecessary ; 
so  that,  in  difficult  circumstances,  their  sagacity  in  this 
respect  is  not  equal  to  the  emergency.  Add  to  this  the 
partial  confusion  created  in  the  young  giant's  brain  by 
his  wound,  and  it  will  not  appear  strange  that  despair  at 
length  seized  him,  when,  after  a  severe  journey,  he 
arrived  at  a  spot  where,  as  it  were,  half  a  dozen  cross 
roads  rnet,  and  he  had  not  the  most  distant  idea  which  he 
ought  to  follow.  It  is  true  the  valley  of  the  river  seemed 
the  most  probable  route ;  but,  after  pursuing  this  for  a 
whole  day  without  coming  upon  a  vestige  of  the  party, 
he  gave  up  the  pursuit,  and  returning  to  the  spring 
beside  the  rock,  passed  the  night  there  with  a  heavy 
heart.  When  the  sun  rose  on  the  following  morning  he 
quitted  his  lair,  and,  taking  a  long  draught  at  the  bub 
bling  spring,  prepared  to  depart.  Before  setting  out,  he 
cast  a  melancholy  glance  around  the  amphitheatre  of 
gloomy  hills  ;  shook  his  spear,  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
heart,  towards  the  dark  recesses  which  had  swallowed  up 
the  light  of  his  eyes,  perchance  forever ;  then,  turning 
slowly  towards  the  north,  with  drooping  head,  and  with 
the  listless  tread  of  a  heart-broken  man,  he  retraced  his 
steps  to  the  sea-coast,  and,  rejoining  his  comrades,  was 
soon  far  away  from  the  banks  of  the  Caneapusca  River. 


150 


CHAPTER  XV. 

END   OF   THE  VOYAGE— PLANS    AND  PROSPECTS— EXPLORING   PAR 
TIES   SENT  OUT. 

THREE  weeks  after  the  departure  of  the  Esquimaux 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Ungava  Bay,  the  echoes 
of  these  solitudes  were  awakened  by  the  merry  song  of 
the  Canadian  voyageurs,  as  the  two  canoes  of  Stanley 
and  his  comrades  swept  down  the  stream  and  approached 
the  spring  at  the  foot  of  the  flat  rock. 

As  the  large  canoe  ran  its  bow  lightly  on  the  sand,  the 
first  man  who  leaped  ashore  was  La  Roche.  He  seemed 
even  more  sprightly  and  active  than  formerly,  but  was 
a  good  deal  darker  in  complexion,  and  much  travel- 
stained.  Indeed,  the  whole  party  bore  marks  of  having 
roughed  it  pretty  severely  for  some  time  past  among  the 
mountains.  Edith's  face  was  decidedly  darker  than  when 
she  left  Moose,  and  her  short  frock  considerably  shorter 
in  consequence  of  tear  and  wear. 

"  Bad  luck  to  ye,  Losh  !  Out  o'  the  way,  an'  let  yer 
betters  land  before  ye,"  exclaimed  Bryan,  as  he  jumped 
into  the  water,  and  dragged  the  canoe  towards  the 
beach. 

The  only  marks  that  rough  travelling  had  put  on 
Bryan  were,  one  or  two  additional  wrinkles  in  his  bat 
tered  white  hat ;  as  for  his  face,  it  was  already  so  thor 
oughly  bronzed  by  long  exposure,  that  a  week  or  two 
more  or  less  made  no  difference  in  its  hue. 


UXGAVA.  151 

"  Jump  into  my  arms,  Miss  Edith,"  said  Francois,  as  * 
he  stood  in  the  water  beside  the  canoe. 

"  Steady,  boy,  mind  the  gum,"  cried  Massan,  as 
Oolibuck  strained  the  canoe  roughly  in  shouldering  a 
package. 

"  Look  out  ashore,  there,"  cried  Dick  Prince,  throw 
ing  the  tent  poles  on  the  beach  as  he  spoke. 

Regardless  of  the  warning,  Gaspard  did  not  "  look  out," 
and  received  a  rap  on  the  leg  from  one  of  the  poles, 
whereat  he  growled  savagely,  and  threw  down  a  sack, 
which  rested  on  his  shoulder,  so  violently  that  it  nearly 
knocked  over  Ma-istequan,  who  was  passing  at  the  time 
with  the  camp  kettle  in  his  hand. 

"  What  an  ould  buffalo  it  is  !  "  exclaimed  Bryan,  push 
ing  Gaspard  rudely  aside  with  his  left  shoulder,  and  hitch 
ing  off  La  Roche's  cap  with  his  right,  as  he  sprang  back 
to  the  canoe  for  another  load.  "  Pardonay  mwa,  Losh, 
may  parson,"  he  exclaimed,  with  a  broad  grin.  "  Now 
thin,  boys,  out  wid  the  fixins.  Faix  it's  mysilf  is  plazed 
to  git  ashore  anyhow  ;  for  there's  nothin'  gone  into  my 
intarior  since  brickfust  this  mornin'." 

At  this  moment  the  bow  of  the  other  canoe  grated  on 
the  sand,  and  Frank  Morton  leaped  ashore. 

"  Capital  place  to  camp,  Frank,"  said  Stanley,  who 
had  just  finished  pitching  the  tent  on  the  scrimp  herbage 
that  forced  its  way  through  the  sand.  "  There's  a  splen 
did  spring  of  pure  water  below  yonder  rock.  I've  just 
left  my  wife  and  Eda  busy  with  the  tea  cups,  and  La. 
Roche  preventing  them  from  getting  things  ready,  by 
way  of  helping  them." 

"It  does  indeed  seem  a  good  place,"  replied  Frank,, 
"and  might  do  for  temporary  head-quarters,  perhaps,, 
while  we  make  excursions  to  the  coast  to  fix  on  a  spot 
for  our  new  home." 


152  UNGAVA. 

Stanley  gazed  contemplatively  around  him  as  his 
friend  spoke.  "  Hand  me  the  telescope,  Frank  ;  it 
strikes  me  we  are  nearer  the  sea  than  you  think.  The 
water  here  is  brackish,  and  yonder  opening  in  the 
mountains  might  reveal  something  beyond,  if  magnified 
by  the  glass." 

After  a  lengthened  survey  of  the  surrounding  hills, 
Frank  and  Stanley  came  to  the  conclusion  that  they 
could  make  nothing  of  it,  at  least  that  night;  and,  as 
it  was  becoming  gradually  dark,  they  resolved  to  post 
pone  all  further  consideration  of  the  subject  till  the  next 
day. 

Meanwhile,  the  men  busied  themselves  in  preparing 
supper,  and  Chimo  unexpectedly  lent  them  some  assist 
ance,  by  bringing  into  camp  a  ptarmigan  which  he  had 
just  killed.  True,  Chimo  had,  in  his  innocence,  designed 
this  little  delicacy  of  the  season  for  his  own  special  table, 
but  no  sooner  was  he  seen  with  the  bird  between  his 
teeth,  than  it  was  snatched  from  him,  and  transferred  to 
the  pot  forthwith. 

The  following  day  was  an  era  in  the  existence  of  the 
travellers.  For  the  first  time  since  commencing  their 
arduous  voyage,  the  cargoes  were  left  behind,  and  the 
•canoes  paddled  away,  light  and  buoyant,  on  a  trip  of  in 
vestigation.  Stanley  had  rightly  judged  that  they  were 
•now  near  the  sea,  and  the  great  breadth  of  the  river  led 
him  to  believe  that  there  might  be  water  sufficient  to 
.float  the  vessel  in  which  the  goods  for  the  station  were  to 
be  forwarded.  If  this  should  turn  out  as  he  expected, 
there  could  not  be  a  better  spot  for  establishing  a  fort 
than  that  on  which  they  had  encamped,  as  it  was  situated 
just  below  the  last  rapids  of  the  river;  had  a  fine  spring 
•of  fresh  water  in  its  vicinity ;  and  was  protected  from  the 


UNGAVA.  153 

cold  blasts  of  winter,  to  some  extent  at  least,  by  the  sur 
rounding  mountains. 

"  Xow,  Frank,"  added  Mr.  Stanley,  after  stating  his 
opinion  on  this  point,  "  what  I  mean  to  do  is  this :  I 
shall  take  the  large  canoe,  with  Dick  Prince,  Frai^ois, 
Gaspard,  La  Roche,  and  Augustus ;  the  last  to  interpret, 
should  we  fall  in  with  Esquimaux,  whom  I  am  surprised 
not  to  have  found  hereabouts.  With  these  I  will  proceed 
to  the  sea,  examine  the  coast,  observe  whether  there  be 
any  place  suitable  for  building  on,  and,  if  all  goes 
well,  be  back  to  supper  before  sunset.  You  will  take  the 
other  canoe,  with  Bryan,  Massan,  Oolibuck,  and  Ma-iste- 
quan,  and  proceed  down  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  a 
short  way ;  examine  the  shores  there,  and  above  the 
island ;  see  whether  there  be  any  place  better  than  where 
we  stand  for  a  permanent  residence ;  and  at  night  we 
shall  compare  notes.  My  wife  and  Eda  shall  remain  in 
camp  under  the  care  of  Oostesimow  and  Moses." 

"  And  pray  who  is  to  defend  your  poor  wife  and  inno 
cent  child  in  the  event  of  an  attack  by  a  band  of  savage 
natives  ?  "  inquired  Mrs.  Stanley,  as  she  joined  her  hus 
band  and  Frank. 

"  No  fear  of  the  wife  and  child,"  replied  Stanley, 
patting  his  better  half  on  the  shoulder.  "  If  Indians 
should  find  out  the  camp,  Oostesimow  can  palaver  with 
them ;  and  should  Esquimaux  pay  you  a  visit,  Moses 
•will  do  the  polite.  Besides,  had  you  not  interrupted,  I 
was  going  to  have  given  special  instructions  to  Frank 
regarding  you.  So,  Master  Frank,  be  pleased  to  take 
Eda  off  your  shoulder,  and  give  ear  to  my  instructions. 
While  you  are  examining  the  other  side  of  the  water,  you 
•will  keep  as  much  as  possible  within  eye-shot,  and  always 
within  ear-shot,  of  the  camp.  In  a  still  day  like  this,  a 


154  UXGAVA. 

gun-sliot  can  be  heard  five  or  six  miles  off,  and,  should 
you  see  any  sign  of  the  natives  having  been  here  re 
cently,  return  instantly  to  the  camp." 

Frank  promised  implicit  obedience  to  these  instruc 
tions,  and  the  whole  party  then  set  to  work  to  pile  the 
goods  on  a  ledge  in  the  steep  cliffs  behind  the  spring,  so 
that  a  fortress  was  soon  formed,  which,  with  two  such 
stout  and  courageous  men  as  Moses  and  Oostesimow, 
armed  with  two  guns  each,  a  brace  of  pistols,  two  cut 
lasses,  and  an  ample  supply  of  ammunition,  could  have 
stood  a  prolonged  siege  from  much  more  practised 
enemies  than  Indians  or  Esquimaux.  After  having 
completed  these  defensive  arrangements,  and  provided 
occupation  for  those  who  remained  in  camp,  by  laying  on 
them  the  duty  of  having  the  goods  examined,  in  order  to 
see  that  nothing  had  been  damaged  by  wet  or  rough 
usage,  the  two  canoes  pushed  from  the  shore,  and 
bounded  lightly  away,  while  the  men  sang  merrily  at 
their  easy  labor ;  for,  now  that  the  canoes  were  light, 
they  might  have  been  propelled  by  two  men.  Frank 
directed  his  course  obliquely  up  the  river,  towards  the 
island  already  alluded  to,  and  Stanley  proceeded  with  the 
current  towards  the  narrows,  beyond  which  he  expected 
to  catch  sight  of  the  sea. 

After  passing  above  the  island,  which  was  found  to  be 
low  and  thinly  covered  with  vegetation  and  a  few  scrubby 
bushes,  Frank  and  his  men  pushed  over  to  the  other  side 
and  proceeded  carefully  to  examine  the  coast.  It  was 
found  to  be  much  the  same  as  that  which  they  had  just 
left.  A  narrow  belt  of  sandy  and  shingly  beach  ex 
tended  along  the  margin  of  the  river,  or.  as  it  might  be 
more  appropriately  termed,  the  lake,  at  least  in  as  far  as 
appearance  went.  This  strip  or  belt  was  indented  here 


UXGAVA.  155 

and  there  with  numerous  bays  and  inlets,  and,  in  many 
places,  was  intersected  by  rocky  capes,  which  jutted  out 
from  the  mountain?.  These  mountains  were  bare  and 
precipitous,  rising  abruptly,  like  those  on  the  other  side, 
from  the  edge  of  the  sand,  and  ascending  in  a  succession 
of  terraces,  whose  faces  were  so  steep  that  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  scale  them.  They  could  be  ascended  in 
succession,  however,  by  means  of  the  ravines  and  numer 
ous  gullies  which  rose  in  rugged  and  zigzag  lines  from 
the  beach  to  the  mountain  tops.  In  the  very  first  of 
these  gullies  in  which  the  exploring  party  landed,  they 
found  the  remains  of  an  Esquimaux  summer  encamp 
ment.  These  consisted  of  a  few  stunted  trees,  which 
appeared  to  have  been  built  in  the  form  of  rude  huts ; 
but  they  were  thrown  about  in  some  confusion,  and  alto 
gether  bore  evidence  of  having  remained  in  a  state  of 
ruin  for  many  years.  Another  discovery  of  a  more  sat 
isfactory  kind  was  made, — namely,  the  tracks  of  deer, 
which  were  so  fresh  as  to  induce  Frank  to  take  his  rifle 
and  mount  the  ravine  in  search  of  the  animals,  accom 
panied  by  Massan,  whose  natural  temperament  was  ex 
ceedingly  prone  to  enjoy  the  excitement  of  the  chase. 
So  much,  indeed,  was  this  the  case,  that  the  worthy  guide 
had  more  than  once  been  on  the  point  of  making  up  his 
mind  to  elope  to  the  backwood  settlements  of  the  States, 
purchase  a  rifle  and  ammunition  there,  don  a  deer-skin 
hunting-shirt,  and  "  make  tracks,"  as  he  styled  it,  for  the 
prairies,  there  to  dwell  and  hunt  until  his  eye  refused  to 
draw  the  sight  and  his  finger  to  pull  the  trigger  of  a 
Kentucky  rifle.  But  Massan's  sociable  disposition  came 
in  the  way  of  this  plan,  and  the  thought  of  leading  a 
^olitary  life  always  induced  him  to  forego  it. 

"  It's  my  'pinion,  sir,"  remarked  the  guide,  as  he  fol- 


156  UNGAVA. 

lowed  Frank  up  the  ravine, — the  sheltered  parts  of 
which  were  covered  with  a  few  clumps  of  stunted  pines, 
— "  It's  my  'pinion  that  we'll  have  to  cut  our  logs  a  long 
bit  up  the  river,  for  there's  nothin'  fit  to  raise  a  fort  with 
hereabouts." 

"  True,  Massan,"  replied  Frank,  glancing  from  side  to 
side,  hunter  fashion,  as  he  walked  swiftly  over  the  broken 
ground  ;  "  there's  not.  a  tree  that  I  can  see  big  enough  to 
build  a  backwoods  shanty  with." 

"  Well,  master,  'twill  do  for  firewood,  if  it's  fit  for 
nothin'  else,  and  that's  a  blessin'  that's  not  always  to  be 
corned  by  everywhere.  Let's  be  thankful  for  small  mat 
ters.  I  see  sticks  growin'  up  them  gullies  that'll  do  for 
stakes  for  the  nets,  an'  axe  handles,  an'  paddles,  an'  spear 
shafts,  an' — " 

The  honest  guide's  enumeration  of  the  various  articles 
into  which  the  small  timber  of  the  place  might  be  con 
verted,  was  brought  to  a  sudden  pause  by  Frank,  who 
laid  his  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and,  while  he  pointed  with 
the  butt  of  his  rifle  up  the  ravine,  whispered,  "  Don't 
you  see  anything  else  up  yonder  besides  trees,  Massan  ?  " 

The  guide  looked  in  the  direction  indicated ;  and,  by 
an  expressive  grunt,  showed  that  his  eye  had  fallen  on 
the  object  referred  to  by  his  companion.  It  wras  a  deer 
which  stood  on  an  overhanging  ledge  of  rock,  high  up 
the  cliffs, — so  high  that  it  might  easily  have  been  mis 
taken  for  a  much  smaller  animal  by  less  practised  sports 
men.  Below  the  shelf  on  which  it  stood  was  a  yawning 
abyss,  which  rendered  any  attempt  to  get  near  the  animal 
utterly  hopeless. 

"  What  a  pity,"  said  Frank,  as  he  crouched  behind  a 
projecting  rock,  "  that  it's  out  of  shot.  It  would  take  us 
an  hour  at  least  to  get  behind  it,  and  there's  little  chance, 
I  fear,  of  its  waiting  for  us." 


UNGAVA.  157 

"  No  chance  whatever,"  replied  Massan,  decidedly. 
"  But  he's  big  enough  to  cover  from  where  we  stand." 

"  To  cover !  Ay,  truly,  I  could  point  straight  at  his 
heart  easy  enough  ;  indeed  J  would  think  it  but  slight 
boasting  to  say  I  could  cover  his  eye  from  this  spot ;  but 
the  bullet  would  refuse  to  go,  Massan ;  it's  far  beyond 
shot." 

"  Try,  sir,  try,"  exclaimed  the  guide,  quickly ;  for,  as 
they  spoke,  the  deer  moved.  "  I've  been  huntin'  on  the 
Rocky  Mountains  afore  now,  an'  I  know  that  distance 
cheats  you  in  sich  places.  It's  not  so  far  as  you  think — " 

He  had  scarcely  finished  speaking  when  Frank's  rifle 
poured  forth  its  contents.  The  loud  echoes  of  the  crags 
reverberated,  as  the  smoke  floated  away  to  leeward.  The 
next  instant,  the  deer  sprang  with  one  wild  bound  high 
into  the  air — over  the  cliff — and,  descending  with  light 
ning  speed  through  the  dark  space,  was  dashed  almost  in 
pieces  on  the  rocks  below. 

Massan  gave  a  low  chuckle  of  satisfaction,  as  he 
walked  up  to  the  mangled  animal,  and  pointing  to  a  small 
round  hole  just  over  its  heart,  he  said,  "  The  old  spot, 
Mr.  Frank  ;  ye  always  hit  them  there  !  " 

Having  paid  Frank  this  compliment,  Massan  bled  the 
animal,  which  was  in  prime  condition,  with  at  least  two 
inches  of  fat  on  his  flanks,  and,  having  placed  it  on  his 
shoulders,  returned  with  his  companion  to  the  canoe. 

While  Frank  was  thus  engaged,  Stanley  had  descended 
towards  the  shores  of  Ungava  Bay,  which  he  found  to 
be  above  twenty-five  miles  distant  from  the  encampment 
beside  the  spring.  He  made  a  rapid  survey  of  the  coast 
as  they  descended,  and  sounded  the  river  at  intervals. 
When  he  reached  its  mouth,  he  had  made  two  important 
discoveries.  The  one  was,  that  there  did  not  seem  to  be 


158  UNGAVA. 

a  spot  along  the  whole  line  of  coast  so  well  fitted  in  all 
respects  for  an  establishment  as  the  place  whereon  their 
tents  were  already  pitched.  The  other  was,  that  the 
river,  from  its  mouth  up  to  that  point,  was  deep  enough 
to  float  a  vessel  of  at  least  three  or  four  hundred  tons 
burden.  This  was  very  satisfactory,  and  he  was  about 
to  return  to  the  camp  when  he  came  upon  the  deserted 
Esquimaux  village  which,  a  few  weeks  before,  had  been 
the  scene  of  a  murderous  attack  and  a  hasty  flight.  On 
a  careful  examination  of  the  place,  the  marks  of  a  hasty 
departure  were  so  apparent  that  Stanley  and  his  men 
made  a  pretty  near  guess  at  the  true  state  of  affairs  ;  and 
the  former  rightly  conjectured  that,  having  made  a  pre 
cipitate  flight  in  consequence  of  some  unexpected  attack, 
there  was  little  probability  of  their  returning  soon  to  the 
same  locality.  This  was  unfortunate,  but,  in  the  hope 
that  he  might  be  mistaken  in  these  conjectures,  and  that 
the  natives  might  yet  return  before  winter,  he  set  up  a 
pole  on  a  conspicuous  place,  and  tied  to  the  top  of  it  a 
bag  containing  two  dozen  knives,  one  dozen  fire-steels, 
some  awls  and  needles,  several  pounds  of  beads,  and  a 
variety  of  such  trinkets  as  were  most  likely  to  prove  ac 
ceptable  to  a  savage  people. 

"While  Bryan  was  engaged  in  piling  a  heap  of  stones 
at  the  foot  of  this  pole,  to  prevent  its  being  blown  down 
by  the  wind,  the  rest  of  the  party  reembarked,  and  pre 
pared  to  return  home ;  for,  although  the  camp  beside  the 
spring  was  scarcely  one  day  old,  the  fact  that  it  was  likely 
to  become  the  futute  residence  of  the  little  party  had 
already  invested  it  with  a  species  of  homelike  attraction. 
Man  is  a  strange  animal,  and,  whatever  untravelled  phi 
losophers  may  say  to  the  contrary,  he  speedily  makes 
himself  "  at  home  "  anywhere  ! 


UNGAVA.  159 

"  Hallo !  Bryan,"  shouted  Stanley,  from  the  canoe, 
"  look  sharp  !  we're  waiting  for  you." 

"Ay,  ay,  yer  honor,"  replied  the  Irishman,  lifting  a 
huge  mass  of  rock;  "jist  wan  more,  an'  it'll  be  stiff  an' 
stidy  as  the  north  pole  himself."  Then  in  an  undertone 
he  added,  "  '  Look  sharp  '  is  it  ye  say  ?  It's  blunt  ye 
are  to  spake  that  way  to  yer  betters.  Musha !  but  it's 
mysilf  wouldn't  give  a  tinpinny  for  all  that  bag  houlds, 
twinty  times  doubled  ;  an'  yit  thim  haythens,  thim  pork- 
faced  Iluskimos,  '11  dance  round  this  here  pole  wi'  delight 
till  they're  fit  to  dhrop.  Och!  but  salvages  is  a  quare 
lot ;  an'  Bryan,  yer  a  cliver  boy  to  come  this  far  all  the 
way  to  see  thim." 

With  this  self-complimentary  conclusion,  Bryan  re 
sumed  his  place  at  the  paddle,  and  the  party  returned  to 
the  camp. 

Here  they  found  things  in  a  most  satisfactory  s^ate. 
Frank  and  his  party  had  returned,  and  the  deer,  now 
cut  up  into  joints  and  steaks,  was  impaled  on  a  number 
of  stakes  of  wood,  and  stuck  up  to  roast  round  a  large 
and  cheering  fire.  The  savory  steam  from  these,  with 
the  refreshing  odor  of  the  teakettle,  produced  a  delec 
table  sensation  in  the  nostrils  of  the  hungry  explorers. 
Stanley's  tent  was  erected  with  its  back  towards  the 
mountains,  and  its  open  door  towards  the  fire,  which 
lighted  up  its  snug  interior,  and  revealed  Mrs.  Stanley 
and  Edith  immersed  in  culinary  operations,  and  Chimo 
watching  them  with  a  look  of  deep,  grave  sagacity, — his 
ears  very  erect,  and  his  head  a  good  deal  inclined  to  one 
side,  as  if  that  position  favored  the  peculiar  train  of  his 
cogitations.  La  Roche  was  performing  feats  of  agility 
round  the  fire,  that  led  one  to  believe  he  must  be  at  least 
half  a  salamander.  At  a  respectful  distance  from  Stan- 


1GO  UNGAVA. 

ley's  tent,  but  within  the  influence  of  the  fire,  the  men 
were  employed  in  pitching,  for  the  first  time,  the  large 
skin  tent  which  was  to  be  their  residence  until  they 
should  build  a  house  for  themselves  ;  and  on  a  log,  within 
dangerous  proximity  to  the  mercurial  La  Roche,  sat 
Frank  Morton,  busily  employed  in  entering  in  his  jour 
nal  the  various  events  of  the  day. 

There  was  much  talk  and  loud  laughter  round  the  fire 
that  night,  for  the  different  parties  had  much  to  tell  and 
much  to  hear  regarding  the  discoveries  that  had  been 
made,  and  discussions  as  to  the  prospects  of  the  expedition 
were  earnest  and  long.  It  was  generally  admitted  that 
first  appearances  were,  upon  the  whole,  favorable,  al 
though  it  could  not  be  denied  that  the  place  looked  dread 
fully  barren  and  rugged.  Under  the  happy  influence  of 
this  impression,  and  the  happier  influence  of  the  savory 
steals  on  which  they  had  supped,  the  entire  party  lay 
down  to  rest,  and  slept  so  profoundly,  that  there  was 
neither  sound  nor  motion  to  indicate  the  presence  of 
human  beings  in  the  vast  solitudes  of  Ungava,  save  the 
fitful  flame  of  the  fire  as  it  rose  and  fell,  casting  a  lurid 
light  on  the  base  of  the  rugged  mountains,  and  a  sharp 
reflection  in  the  dark  waters. 


USGAVA.  1G1 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

RESOURCES  OF  THE  COUNTRY   BEGIN    TO    DEVELOP— BRYAN  DIS 
TINGUISHES  HIMSELF— FISHING    EXTRAORDINARY. 

THERE  is  a  calm  but  deep-seated  and  powerful 
pleasure  which  fills  the  heart,  and  seems  to  permeate 
the  entire  being,  when  one  awakens  to  the  conviction  that 
a  day  of  arduous  toil  is  about  to  begin, — toil  of  an  un 
certain  kind,  perhaps  connected  with  danger  and  adven 
ture,  in  an  unexplored  region  of  the  earth.  Ignorance 
always  paints  coming  events  in  glowing  colors  ;  and  the 
mere  fact  that  our  adventurers  knew  not  the  natur*'  of 
the  country  in  which  their  tent  was  pitched, — knew  not 
whether  the  natives  would  receive  them  as  friends  or 
repel  them  as  foes, — knew  not  whether  the  nature  and 
capabilities  of  the  country  were  such  as  would  be  likely 
to  convert  the  spot  on  which  they  lay  into  a  comfortable 
home  or  a  premature  grave  ; — the  mere  fact  of  being 
utterly  ignorant  on  these  points  Avas,  in  itself,  sufficient 
to  fill  the  poorest  spirit  of  the  band  (had  there  been  a 
poor  spirit  among  them)  with  a  glow  of  pleasurable  ex 
citement,  and  a  firm  resolve  to  tax  their  powers  of  do 
ing  and  suffering  to  the  uttermost. 

When  the  sun  rose  on  the  following  morning  the  whole 
party  was  astir,  the  fire  lighted,  and  an  early  breakfast 
in  course  of  preparation.  Much  had  to  be  done,  and 
it  behooved  them  to  set  about  it  with  energy  and  at  once, 
for  the  short  autumn  of  these  arctic  regions  was  drawing 
11 


162  UNGAVA. 

on  apace,  and  a  winter  of  great  length  and  of  the  utmost 
severity  lay  before  them. 

There  was  also  one  consideration  which  caused  some 
anxiety  to  Stanley  and  Frank,  although  it  weighed  little 
on  the  reckless  spirits  of  the  men,  and  this  was  the  pos 
sibility  of  the  non-arrival  of  the  ship  with  their  winter 
supply  of  provisions  and  goods  for  trade.  Without  such 
a  supply  a  winter  on  the  shores  of  Ungava  Bay  would  in 
volve  all  the  hardships  and  extreme  perils  that  too  often 
fall  to  the  lot  of  arctic  discoverers, — and  he  who  has  pe 
rused  the  fascinating  journals  of  those  gallant  men, 
knows  that  these  hardships  and  perils  are  neither  few 
nor  light.  The  leaders  of  the  expedition  were  not,  in 
deed,  men  to  anticipate  evils,  or  to  feel  unduly  anxious 
about  possible  dangers  ;  but  they  would  have  been  more 
or  less  than  human,  had  they  been  able  to  look  at  Mrs. 
Stanley  and  little  Edith  without  a  feeling  of  anxiety  on 
their  account.  This  thought,  however,  did  not  influence 
them  in  their  actions,  or,  if  it  did,  it  only  spurred  them  on 
to  more  prompt  and  vigorous  exertions  in  the  carrying  out 
of  their  undertaking. 

After  breakfast  Stanley  assembled  his  men,  and  gave 
each  special  directions  what  to  do.  One  of  the  most 
important  points  to  ascertain  was  whether  there  were 
many  fish  in  the  river.  On  this  hung  much  of  the 
future  comfort  and  well-being,  perhaps  even  the  exist 
ence,  of  the  party.  Gaspard  was,  therefore,  ordered  to 
get  out  his  nets  and  set  them  opposite  the  encampment. 
Oolibuck,  being  officially  an  interpreter  of  the  Esquimaux 
language,  and,  when  not  employed  in  his  calling,  regarded 

as  a  sort  of  male  maid-of-all-jvork.  was  ordered  to  assist 
i 

Gaspard.  The  next  matter  of  primary  importance  was 
to  ascertain  what  animals  inhabited  the  region,  and 


UXGAVA.  163 

whether  they  were  numerous.  Dick  Prince  being  the 
recognized  hunter  of  the  party,  was  directed  to  take  his 
gun  and  a  large  supply  of  ammunition,  and  sally  forth 
over  the  mountains  in  search  of  game  ;  and  as  Massan 
was  a  special  friend  of  his,  a  good  shot,  and,  moreover,  a 
sagacious  fellow,  he  was  ordered  to  accompany  him. 
They  were  also  directed  to  observe  particularly  the 
state  of  the  woods  and  the  quality  of  the  timber  grow 
ing  therein ;  but  as  this  last  required  special  atten 
tion,  the  style  and  size  of  the  future  fort  being  depen 
dent  on  it,  Francois  the  carpenter,  was  appointed  to 
make  a  journey  of  observation  up  the  Caneapusca  River, 
in  company  with  Augustus  the  Esquimaux,  and  Ma-iste- 
quan  the  Indian, — it  being  thought  probable  that  if  na 
tives  were  to  be  met  with  at  all,  they  would  be  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  rather  than  in  the  mountains.  It  was 
further  arranged  that  Frank  Morton  should  ascend  the 
mountains  in  company  with  Bryan,  and  ascertain  if 
there  were  any  lakes,  and  whether  or  not  they  contained 
fish.  As  for  Mr.  Stanley,  he  resolved  to  remain  by  the 
camp.  On  entering  his  tent  after  despatching  the  several 
parties,  he  said  to  his  wife, — 

"  I'm  going  to  stay  by  you  to-day,  Jessie.  All  the 
men,  except  Moses,  Oostesimow,  Gaspard,  and  La  Roche, 
are  sent  off  to  hunt  and  fish  in  the  mountains,  and  I  have* 
kept  these  four  to  paddlo  about  this  neighborhood,  in 
order  to  take  soundings  and  examine  the  coast  more 
carefully  ;  because,  you  see,  it  would  be  an  unfortunate 
thing  if  we  began  our  establishment  in  a  place  not  well 
suited  for  it." 

Mrs.  Stanley  and  Edith  were,  of  course,  quite  pleased, 
with  this  arrangement ;  and,  while  the  males  of  the  party 
were  absent,  the  former  employed  herself  in  dressing  the 


104  UNGAVA. 

skin  of  the  deer  that  had  been  shot  the  day  before.  She 
accomplished  this  after  the  Indian  fashion,  by  scraping 
and  rubbing  it  with  the  animal's  brains.  Afterwards  she 
smoked  it  over  a  fire  of  green  wood,  and  in  this  way 
produced  a  soft,  pliant  substance  similar  to  chamois 
leather,  but  coarser  and  stouter.  As  for  Edith,  she 
rambled  at  will  among  the  bushes  of  the  nearest  ravine, 
under  the  faithful  guardianship  of  Chimo,  and  hurried 
back  to  the  camp  almost  every  hour,  laden  with  cloud 
berries,  cranberries,  blaeberries,  and  crowberries,  which 
grew  in  profusion  everywhere. 

Opposite  to  the  camp  the  water  was  found  to  be  eight 
fathoms  deep.  This  was  of  great  importance,  as  afford 
ing  facility  for  unloading  the  ship  abreast  of  the  es 
tablishment.  Higher  up  the  river  the  ground  was  more 
favorable  for  building,  both  on  account  of  its  being  more 
sheltered  and  better  wooded  with  timber  fit  for  the  con 
struction  of  houses ;  but  the  water  was  too  shallow  to 
float  the  ship,  and  the  island  before  mentioned,  which 
was  named  Cross  Island,  proved  an  effectual  barrier  to 
the  upward  progress  of  any  craft  larger  than  a  boat. 
But  as  Stanley  surveyed  the  spot  on  which  the  tent 
was  pitched,  and  observed  the  sheltering  background  of 
mountains  with  their  succession  of  terraces  ;  the  creek 
•Or  ravine  to  the  right,  with  its  growth  of  willows  and 
stunted  pines ;  the  level  parcel  of  green  sward,  with  the 
little  fountain  under  the  rock  ;  and  the  fine  sandy  bay  in 
which  Gaspard  and  Oolibuck  were  busily  engaged  in  set 
ting  a  couple  of  nets  ; — when  he  surveyed  all  this,  he  felt 
that  although  not  the  best  locality  in  the  neighborhood,  it 
was,  nevertheless,  a  very  good  one,  and  well  suited  in 
many  respects  for  the  future  establishment. 

•'  Please,  sir,  the  net  him  set,"   shouted  Oolibuck  from 


UNGAVA.  165 

the  shore  to  his  master,  who  floated  in  the  bay  at  the 
distance  of  a  hundred  yards,  busily  engaged  with  the 
sounding-line.  On  receiving  this  piece  of  information, 
Stanley  ran  the  canoe  on  the  beach,  and  said  to  his 
follower, — 

"  Oolibuck,  I  have  been  thinking  much  about  that 
river  which  we  saw  yesterday,  off  the  mouth  of  this 
one;  and  I  cannot  help  fearing  that  the  ship  will  run 
into  it,  instead  of  into  this,  for  the  land  is  very  de 
ceptive." 

"Me  tink  dat  is  true,"  answered  the  Esquimaux,  with 
a  look  of  grave  perplexity.  "  If  de  ship  go  into  dat 
riv'r  he  tink  we  no  arrive,  and,  so,  he  go  'way,  and  we  all 
starve  ! " 

"  Nay,  Oolibuck,  I  trust  that  such  would  not  be  the  sad 
result  of  the  ship  failing  to  find  us  ;  but  in  order  to  pre 
vent  this,  if  possible,  I  intend  to  send  you  down  to  the  coast, 
with  a  few  days'  provisions,  to  keep  a  look-out  for  the 
ship,  and  light  a  fire  if  you  see  her,  so  that  she  may  be 
guided  to  the  right  place.  So,  get  a  blanket  and  your 
gun  as  fast  as  you  can,  and  be  off.  I  can  only  afford  you 
four  days'  provisions,  Oolibuck,  so  you  will  have  to  prove 
yourself  a  good  hunter,  else  you'll  starve.  Will  four 
days'  provisions  do  ?  " 

Oolibuck's  eyes  disappeared.  We  do  not  mean  to  say 
that  they  flew  away,  or  were  annihilated.  But  Oolibuck 
was  fat, — so  fat  that,  when  he  laughed,  his  eyes  reduced 
themselves  into  two  little  lines  surrounded  by  wrinkles  ;• 
a  result  which  was  caused  by  a  physical  incapacity  to 
open  the  mouth  and  eyes  at  the  same  time.  As  a  gen 
eral  rule,  when  Ooolibuck's  mouth  was  open  his  eyes 
were  shut,  and  when  his  eyes  were  open  his  mouth  was 
shut.  Being  a  good-humored  fellow,  and  of  a  risible- 


166  UXGAVA. 

nature,  the  .alternations  were  frequent.  It  was  the  idea 
of  Stanley  doubting  the  sufficiency  of  four  days'  provis 
ions  that  closed  the  eyes  of  the  Esquimaux  on  the  present 
occasion. 

"  Two  days'  grub  more  dan  'miff,"  said  Oolibuck. 
"  Give  me  plenty  powder  and  shot  and  me  no  starve, — 
no  fear." 

"  Very  well,"  rejoined  Stanley,  laughing,  "  take  as 
much  ammunition  as  you  require  ;  but  be  careful  of  it  ; 
if  the  ship  fails  us  we  shall  need  it  all :  and  don't  be  too 
eager  after  the  deer,  Oolibuck,  keep  a  sharp  look-out  sea 
ward  ;  be  on  the  hill-tops  as  much  as  you  can,  and  keep 
your  eyes  open." 

Oolibuck  replied  by  closing  the  said  eyes  with  a  smile, 
as  he  hurried  towards  the  tent  to  prepare  for  his  expe 
dition.  In  the  mean  time,  Stanley  directed  Oostesimow 
and  La  Roche  to  set  about  building  a  small  canoe  out  of 
the  birch  bark  which  they  had  cawied  with  them  for  the 
purpose,  the  large  canoes  being  too  cumbrous  for  the 
purpose  of  overhauling  the  nets. 

The  nets  had  been  set  by  Gaspard  in  the  usual  way, — 
that  is,  with-  stones  attached  to  the  lower  lines  to  act  as 
sinkers,  and  floats  attached  to  the  upper  lines  to  keep 
them  spread  ;  and  it  was  with  no  little  impatience  that 
the  party  in  the  camp  awaited  the  issue.  Indeed,  they 
scarcely  permitted  an  hour  to  pass  without  an  inspection 
being  ordered  ;  but  to  their  chagrin,  instead  of  finding 
fish,  they  found  the  nets  rolled  up,  by  the  conflicting  cui-- 
rents  of  the  river  and  the  tide,  into  the  form  of  two 
ropes. 

"  This  will  never  do,"  cried  Stanley,  as  they  brought 
the  nets  ashore.  "  We  must  set  stake-nets  immediately. 
Jt  is  nearly  low  tide  now,  so,  if  we  work  hard,  they 


UNGAVA.  1 G7 

may  be  ready  to  set  up  before  the  tide  has  risen 
much." 

In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  Stanley  and  his  men  went 
to  the  ravine  of  which  mention  has  been  already  made, 
and  proceeded  to  cut  stakes  for  the  nets  ;  while  Oolibuck, 
having  explained  to  Mrs.  Stanley  and  Edith  that  he  was 
"  going  to  look  hout  for  de  ship,"  shouldered  his  wallet 
and  gun,  and,  ascending  the  ravine,  speedily  gained  the 
first  terrace  of  the  mountains,  along  which  he  hastened 
in  the  direction  of  the  sea-coast. 

While  the  party  in  the  camp  were  thus  engaged,  Frank 
Morton  and  Bryan  instituted  a  thorough  investigation  of 
the  country  that  lay  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  camp  ;  in 
the  course  of  which  investigation  they  made  sundry  in 
teresting  discoveries. 

After  ascending  the  ravine  in  which  we  left  Stanley 
and  his  men  cutting  stakes  for  the  nets,  Frank  and  Bryan 
reached  the  first  terrace,  and  proceeded  along  it  in  the 
opposite  direction  from  that  pursued  by  Oolibuck.  A 
walk  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  or  less,  brought  them  to 
another  ravine,  into  which  they  turned ;  and  the  first 
thing  that  greeted  them  as  they  pushed  their,  way  through 
the  stunted  willows  that  thickly  covered  this  gorge  in  the 
mountains,  was  a  covey  of  ptarmigan.  These  birds  are 
similar  in  form  and  size  to  ordinary  grouse, — perhaps  a 
little  smaller.  In  winter  they  are  pure  white, — so  white 
that  it  is  difficult  to  detect  them  amid  the  snow  ;  but  in 
summer  their  coats  become  brown,  though  there  are  a 
few  of  the  pure  white  feathers  left  which  never  change 
their  color.  Being  unaccustomed  to  the  sight  of  man, 
they  stood  gazing  at  Frank  and  Bryan  in  mute  surprise, 
until  the  latter  hastily  threw  forward  his  gun,  when  they 
wisely  took  to  flight.  But  Frank  arrested  his  follower's 
arm. 


168  UNGAVA. 

"  Don't  waste  your  powder  and  shot,  Bryan,  on  such 
small  game.  There  may  be  something  more  worthy  a 
shot  among  the  mountains,  and  if  you  once  raise  the 
echoes  ampng  these  wild  cliffs,  I  fear  the  game  will  not 
wait  to  inquire  the  cause  thereof." 

"  Maybe  not,  sir,"  replied  Bryan,  as  he  fell  back  a 
pace,  and  permitted  Frank  to  lead  the  way ;  "  but  there's 
an  ould  proverb  that  says,  '  A  bird  in  the  hand's  worth 
two  in  the  buss  ; '  an'  I've  great  belaif  in  that  same." 

"  Very  true,  Bryan,  there  is  much  wisdom  in  old  prov 
erbs,  but  there  are  exceptions  to  every  rule,  and  this  is  a 
case  in  point,  as  you  will  admit  if  you  cast  your  eyes 
over  yonder  valley,  and  observe  the  edge  of  the  mountain 
top  that  cuts  so  clear  a  line  against  the  sky." 

Frank  pointed,  as  he  spoke,  to  the  shoulder  or  spur  of 
one  of  the  mountains  which  rose  at  a  considerable  distance 
in  the  interior,  and  from  which  they  were  separated  by  a 
dark  glen  or  gorge  ;  for  none  of  the  ravines  in  this  part 
of  the  country  merited  the  name  of  valley,  save  that 
through  which  flowed  the  Caneapusca  River.  The  ravine 
up  which  they  had  been  toiling  for  some  time  led  into 
this  darksome  glen,  and  it  was  on  rounding  a  bold  preci 
pice,  which  had  hitherto  concealed  it  from  view,  that 
Frank's  quick  eye  caught  sight  of  the  object  to  which  he 
directed  the  attention  of  his  companion. 

"  'Tis  a  crow,"  said  Bryan,  after  a  gaze  of  five  minutes, 
during  which  he  had  gone  through  a  variety  of  strange 
contortions  ; — screwing  up  his  features  ;  shading  his  eyes 
with  his  hand;  standing  on  tiptoe,  although  there  was  noth 
ing  to  look  over  ;  and  stooping  low,  with  a  hand  on  each 
knee,  though  there  was  nothing  to  look  under  ;  in  the 
vain  hope  to  increase  by  these  means  his  power  of 
vision. 


UXGAVA.  169 

Frank  regarded  him  with  a  quiet  smile,  as  he  said, 
'•  Look  again,  Bryan.  Saw  you  ever  a  crow  with  ant 
lers  ?  " 

"  Anthlers ! "  exclaimed  the  Irishman,  once  more 
wrinkling  up  his  expressive  face,  and  peering  under  his 
palm ;  "  anthlers,  say  you  ?  Sorra  a  thing  duv  I  see 
'xcept  a  black  spot  on  the  sky.  If  ye  see  anthlers  on  it, 
ye're  nothin'  more  nor  less  than  a  walkin'  spyglass." 

"  Nevertheless  I  see  them,  Bryan ;  and  they  grace  the 
head  of  a  noble  buck.  Now,  you  see,  it  is  well  you  did 
not  fire  at  the  ptarmigan.  Away  with  you,  lad,  down 
into  that  ravine,  and  clamber  up  the  mountain  through 
yonder  gap  with  the  fallen  rock  in  the  middle  of  it, — 
d'ye  see  ? — and  wait  there,  lest  the  deer  should  turn 
back.  In  the  mean  time,  I'll  run  round  by  the  way  we 
came,  and  descend  to  the  water's  edge,  to  receive  him 
when  he  arrives  there.  Now,  don't  lose  yourself,  and 
take  care  not  to  fire  at  smaller  game." 

As  Frank  concluded  these  orders,  which  he  issued  in 
a  quick,  low  voice,  he  threw  his  gun  into  the  hollow  of 
his  left  arm  and  strode  rapidly  away,  leaving  his  com 
panion  gazing  after  him  with  an  expression  of  blank  stu 
pidity  on  his  face.  Gradually  his  cheeks  and  brow  were 
overspread  with  a  thousand  wrinkles,  and  a  smile  took 
possession  of  his  lips. 

"  '  Don't  lose  yersilf ! '  Faix,  Master  Frank,  ye're 
free  an'  aisy.  Arrah,  now,  Bryan,  dear,  don't  lose  yer 
silf  ;  you  that's  crossed  the  salt  saes,  an'  followed  the  Red 
Injins  to  the  prairie,  and  hunted  in  the  Rocky  Moun 
tains,  and  found  yer  way  to  Ungava — not  to  mintion 
havin'  corned  oraginally  from  ould  Ireland — which  ov 
itsilf  secures  ye  agin  mistakes  of  every  kind  whatsum- 
diver.  Lose  yersilf !  Musha !  but  ye  had  better  git 


170  UXGAVA. 

some  wan  to  look  after  ye,  Bryan,  boy.  Take  care 
now ;  go  softly  and  kape  yer  eyes  open,  for  fear  ye  lose 
yersilf ! " 

As  Bryan  mumbled  forth  this  bantering  soliloquy,  he 
lifted  up  a  large  bag  which  contained  a  couple  of  fishing- 
lines  and  a  few  hooks,  and  throwing  it  across  the  stocjc 
of  his  gun,  and  both  across  his  shoulder,  he  took  his  way 
down  the  rugged  but  well  beaten  deer-path  which  led  to 
the  ravine  or  glen.  The  idea  of  losing  himself  seemed 
to  have  taken  such  a  hold  of  Bryan's  mind,  and  afforded 
him  so  much  amusement  and  such  scope  for  the  contin 
ued  flow  of  bantering  soliloquy  to  which  he  was  in  truth 
much  addicted,  that  he  failed  to  note  the  fact  that  he  was 
walking  along  the  edge  of  a  steep  declivity,  at  the  foot  of 
which  lay  a  small  dark  sheet  of  water,  which  was  con 
nected  by  a  short  river  or  strait  with  a  larger  lake  whose 
wavelets  rippled  at  the  base  of  the  mountain  beyond. 
The  scene  was  magnificently  wild  and  lonely,  and  would 
have  riveted  the  attention  and  excited  the  admiration  of 
any  one  less  absent  than  Bryan.  High,  rugged,  and  to 
all  appearance  inaccessible  mountains,  surrounded  the 
vale  on  all  sides ;  and  although  there  were  several  out 
lets  from  it,  these  were  so  concealed  by  the  peculiar 
formation  of  the  wild  mountains,  that  they  could  not  be 
seen  until  they  were  actually  entered. 

Had  Bryan's  eyes  been  more  active  he  would  have 
seen  that  the  fringe  of  bushes  by  the  side  of  the  deer- 
track,  along  which  he  walked,  concealed  a  declivity  so 
steep  that  it  almost  merited  the  name  of  a  precipice.  But 
Bryan  was  lost  in  philosophic  contemplation,  and  the  first 
thing  that  awakened  him  to  the  fact  was  the  slipping  of 
a  stone,  which  caused  him  to  trip,  and  fall  headlong  over 
the  bank  !  The  Irishman  grasped  convulsively  at  the 


UXGAVA.  171 

bushes  to  arrest  his  fall,  but  the  impetus  with  which  he 
had  commenced  the  descent  tore  them  from  his  grasp, 
and  after  one  or  two  unpleasant  bounds  and  a  good  deal 
of  crashing  through  shrubs  that  tore  his  garments  sadly, 
he  found  himself  stretched  at  full  length  on  the  margin 
of  the  river  that  connected  the  two  lakes.  So  nearly 
had  he  been  hurled  into  this  strait  by  the  violence  of  his 
descent,  that  his  head  was  hanging  over  the  bank  ere  he 
stopped  !  Being  partially  stunned  by  the  fall,  Bryan  lay 
for  a  few  seconds  motionless.  As  his  shaken  faculties 
returned,  however,  he  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  a 
fish  of  fully  two  feet  long  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  pool 
over  which  his  head  hung.  Starting  up,  and  totally  for 
getting  his  bruises,  he  turned  to  look  for  the  bag  contain 
ing  the  fishing-lines,  and  observing  it  lying  on  the  ground 
not  far  distant,  still  wrapped  round  the  gun,  he  ran  to 
pick  it  up. 

"  Oh  !  wow  !  poor  thing  !  "  he  exclaimed  on  lifting  up 
his  gun,  which,  though  fortunately  not  broken,  was  sadly 
bent,  "  ye're  fit  for  nothin'  but  shootin'  round  the  corner 
now  !  It's  well  for  you,  Bryan,  ye  spalpeen,  that  your 
backbone  is  not  in  the  same  fix." 

While  he  thus  muttered  to  himself,  Bryan  drew  from 
the  bag  a  stout  cod-line,  to  which  he  fastened  a  hook  of 
deadly  dimensions,  and  dressed  it  into  the  form  of  a  fly, 
much  in  the  same  manner  as  was  formerly  done  by  La 
Roche.  This  line  and  fly  he  fastened  to  the  end  of  a 
short  stout  pole  which  he  cut  from  a  neighboring  tree, 
and  approaching  cautiously  to  the  bank  of  the  strait, — 
for  there  was  too  little  motion  in  it  to  entitle  it  to  be 
called  a  stream, — he  cast  the  fly  with  a  violent  splash 
into  the  water.  The  violence  was  unintentional,  at  least 
the  exclamations  of  reproach  that  followed  the  cast  would 


172  UXGAVA. 

lead  us  to  suppose  so.  The  fish  here  were  as  tame  as 
those  caught  in  Deer  River.  In  a  few  seconds  the  fly 
was  swallowed,  and  Bryan,  applying  main  force  to  the 
pole,  tossed  a  beautiful  trout  of  about  two  pounds  weight 
over  his  head. 

"  Och !  ye  purty  crature,"  exclaimed  the  delighted 
Irishman,  rubbing  his  hands  with  glee  as  he  gazed  at  the 
fish  after  having  unhooked  it.  "  Shure  ye'll  make  a 
beautiful  fagure  in  the  kittle  this  night.  An'  mush ! 
there's  wan  o'  yer  relations  to  kape  ye  company,"  he 
added,  as,  exerting  an  enormous  degree  of  unnecessary 
force,  he  drew  another  trout  violently  from  the  water. 
The  second  trout  was  larger  than  the  first,  and  Bryan 
soon  became  so  excited  in  the  sport  that  he  totally  forgot 
Frank's  orders,  and  the  deer,  and  every  thing  else  in  the 
world  for  the  time  being.  Having  caught  six  or  seven 
trout,  varying  from  two  to  four  pounds  weight,  he  changed 
his  position  a  little,  and  made  a  cast  over  a  deep  pool 
nearer  to  the  large  lake.  As  heretofore  the  fly  was  en 
gulfed  the  instant  it  fell  on  the  water ;  but  Bryan  did  not, 
as  heretofore,  haul  it  violently  out  of  its  native  element. 
It  is  true  he  attempted  to  do  so,  but  the  attempt  proved 
utterly  futile  ;  moreover,  the  fish  darted  with  such  ve 
locity  and  strength  towards  the  lake,  that  the  angler, 
albeit  entirely  ignorant  of  his  art,  experienced  an  inward 
conviction  that  the  thick  cord  would  snap  altogether  if 
not  eased  of  the  enormous  strain  ;  he  therefore  followed 
the  fish  at  the  top  of  his  speed,  uttering  incomprehensible 
sounds  of  mingled  rage  and  amazement  as  he  went,  and 
tripping  over  rocks  and  bushes  in  his  headlong  career ! 
After  a  smart  run  of  half  a  minute  the  fish  stopped, 
turned,  and  darted  back  so  rapidly  that  Bryan  tripped 
in  turning,  and  fell  into  the  water  !  The  place  was  shal- 


UXGAVA.  173 

low,  but  having  fallen  on  his  back,  he  was  thoroughly 
drenched  from  head  to  foot.  He  did  not  lose  the  grasp 
of  his  rod,  however.  Spluttering,  and  gasping,  and  drip 
ping,  he  followed  the  fish  in  its  wild  career  until  it 
turned  again  at  a  tangent,  and  darted  towards  the  bank 
on  which  he  stood.  There  was  a  shelving  bed  of  peb 
bles,  where  the  water  shoaled  very  gradually.  Bryan 
saw  this.  Availing  himself  of  the  fish's  impetus,,  and 
putting  all  his  force  to  the  rod,  he  dragged  it  into  two 
inches  water,  when  the  line  broke.  Instantly  the  fish 
struggled  towards,  deep  water,  but  it  was  so  large,  and 
the  place  to  which  it  had  been  dragged  so  shallow,  that 
it  afforded  the  excited  angler  time  to  rush  forward  and 
throw  himself  bodily  on  the  top  of  it ! 

The  battle  that  now  ensued  was  of  an  energetic  and 
deadly  character  on  the  part  of  both  man  and  fish. 
Those  who  have  not  grasped  a  live  salmon  in  their  arms 
have  no  conception  of  the  strength  of  a  fish  ;  and  per 
haps  it  may  be  said  with  equal  truth  that  those  who  .have 
never  wielded  a  fore-hammer  have  but  a  faint  conception 
of  the  strength  of  a  blacksmith's  knuckles.  Bryan  had 
thrown  his  whole  weight  on  the  fish,  and  grasped  it,  as 
with  a  vice,  in  both  hands  ;  but  at  every  struggle  of  its 
powerful  frame  he  felt  how  uncertain  was  the  hold  he 
had  of  its  slippery  body.  Once  it  almost  escaped,  and 
dashed  the  spray  over  its  adversary's  face  with  its  tail, 
as  it  wriggled  out  of  his  grasp  ;  but,  with  a  desperate 
plunge,  Bryan  seized  it  by  the  head  and  succeeded  in 
thrusting  his  thumb  under  its  gill  and  choking  it,  while 
himself  was  well-nigh  choked  at  the  same  moment  by 
unintentionally  swallowing  a  gulp  of  the  muddy  com 
pound  which  they  had  stirred  up  in  their  struggles. 
Slowly  and  with  caution  Bryan  rose  on  one  knee,  while 


174  UXGAVA. 

he  crushed  the  fish  against  the  bottom  with  both  hands, 
then,  making  a  last  exertion,  he  hurled  it  up  the  bank, 
where  it  fell  beyond  all  hope  of  return  to  its  native 
element. 

The  fish  thus  captured  was  a  beautiful  trout  of  about 
twenty  pounds  weight.  The  lake  trout  of  North  America 
are,  some  of  them,  of  enormous  size,  being  not  unfre- 
quently  taken  of  sixty  pounds  weight,  so  that  as  a  speci 
men  of  those  inhabiting  these  lakes  this  was  by  no  means 
a  large  one.  Nevertheless  it  was  a  splendid  fish,  and 
certainly  the  largest  that  had  ever  been  captured  by  the 
worthy  son  of  Vulcan. 

The  thick  coat  of  liquid  mud  with  which  his  face  was 
covered  could  not  entirely  conceal  the  smile  of  intense 
satisfaction  with  which  he  regarded  his  prize,  as  he  sat 
down  on  the  bank  before  it. 

"  Kape.  quiet,  now,  honey ! "  he  exclaimed,  as  the 
trout  made  a  last  fluttering  attempt  to  escape.  "  Kape 
quiet.  Have  patience,  darlint.  It's  o'  no  manner  o'  use 
to  hurry  natur'.  Just  lie  still  an'  it'll  be  soon  over." 

With  this  consolatory  remark,  Bryan  patted  the  fish 
on  the  head,  and  proceeded  to  wring  the  water  from  his 
upper  garments,  after  which  he  repaired  his  broken 
tackle,  and  resumed  his  sport  with  an  eagerness  and  zest 
that  cold  and  water  and  mud  could  not  diminish  in  the 
smallest  decree. 


UNGAVA.  175 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

SUCCESSES    AND  ENCOURAGEMENT— BRYAN    LOST    AND  FOUND. 

IT  was  evening  before  the  tide  began  to  fall  and  un 
cover  the  stake-nets,  which  were  eagerly  and  earnestly 
watched  by  those  who  had  remained  in  the  camp.  Mrs. 
Stanley  and  Edith  were  seated  on  an  empty  box  by  the 
margin  of  the  sandy  bay ;  Mr.  Stanley  sat  on  a  nail-keg 
beside  them ;  La  Roche  and  the  Indian  were  still  work 
ing  at  the  small  canoe  a  few  yards  from  the  tent ;  and 
Gaspard,  with  folded  arms,  and  an  unusual  smile  of  good- 
humor  playing  on  his  countenance,  stood  close  behind 
Stanley. 

None  of  the  hunting  and  exploring  parties  had  re 
turned,  although  the  sun  had  long  since  disappeared  be 
hind  the  mountains,  and  the  mellow  light  of  evening  was 
deepening  over  the  bay. 

"  There's  a  tail,  sir,"  said  Gaspard,  as  he  hurried  to 
wards  the  net. 

"  So  it  is  !  "  cried  Stanley,  leaping  up.  "  Come  along, 
Eda,  and  take  the  first  fish." 

Edith  needed  no  second  invitation,  but  bounded  to 
wards  the  edge  of  the  water,  which  was  now  gradually 
leaving  the  nets.  Gaspard  had  already  disengaged  a 
white-fish  from  the  mesh,  and,  wading  to  the  beach, 
gave  it  to  the  little  girl,  who  ran  with  it  joyously  to 
her  mother.  Meanwhile,  another  and  another  fish  was 
left  by  the  tide,  and  Stanley  soon  after  brought  up  a 


176  UXGAVA. 

splendid  salmon  of  about  twenty-five  pounds  weight,  and 
laid  it  at  Edith's  feet. 

"  Oh,  how  very  beautiful !  "  cried  the  child,  as  she 
gazed  in  delight  at  the  silvery  scales  of  the  fish. 

"  My  mind  is  much  relieved  by  this,  Jessie,"  said  Stan 
ley,  reseating  himself  on  the  keg,  while  Oostesimow  and 
La  Roche  carried  the  fish  ashore  as  Gaspard  freed  them 
from  the  nets ;  "  I  now  see  that  there  are  plenty  of  fish 
in  the  river,  and  if  the  hunters  bring  in  a  good  report 
to-night,  our  anxiety  on  the  score  of  food  will  be  quite 
removed." 

Although  none  of  the  party  had  ever  set  a  net  on 
stakes  before,  they  had  frequently  heard  of  this  manner 
of  fishing,  and  their  first  attempt  proved  eminently  suc 
cessful.  At  low  tide  stakes  had  been  driven  into  the 
sand,  extending  from  the  edge  of  the  water  towards 
high-water  mark.  On  these  the  nets  had  been  spread, 
and  thus  the  misfortune  which  had  attended  the  setting 
of  the  nets  with  floats  and  .sinkers  was  avoided.  The 
quantity  of  fish  taken  gave  promise  of  an  ample  supply 
for  the  future.  There  were  two  Ilearne-salmon  (i.  c., 
spotted  like  trout),  and  one  large  common  salmon,  be 
sides  thirty  white-fish,  averaging  between  two  to  six 
pounds  weight  each,  all  of  which  were  in  excellent 
condition.  The  white-fish  is  of  the  salmon  species,  but 
white  in  the  flesh,  and,  being  less  rich  than  the  salmon, 
is  much  preferred  by  those  who  have  to  use  it  constantly 
as  an  article  of  food. 

"  This  is  a  most  fortunate  supply,"  remarked  Stanley, 
"  and  will  prevent  the  necessity  of  putting  the  men  on 
short  allowance." 

"  Short  allowance  !  "  exclaimed  his  wife  ;  "  I  though 
we  had  more  than  enough  of  food  to  last  us  till  the  ar 
rival  of  the  ship." 


UNGAVA.  177 

"  Ay,  so  we  have.  But  until  now  I  did  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  use  it ;  for  if,  through  any  accident,  the  ship 
does  not  come,  and  if  there  had  chanced  to  be  no  fish  in 
the  river,  the  only  course  open  to  us  would  be  to  retrace 
our  steps,  and,  as  that  would  be  a  long  and  slow  process, 
we  would  require  to  economize  our  food.  In  fact,  I  had 
resolved  to  begin  operations  by  putting  the  men  on  short 
allowance,  but  this  haul  of  fish  shows  me  that  we  shall 
have  more  than  enough." 

"  But  who  comes  here  ?  "  he  added,  on  observing  the 
figure  of  a  man  approaching  the  camp.  "  He  seems  to 
carry  a  burden  on  his  back,  as  far  as  I  can  make  out  in 
the  uncertain  light." 

"  Did  any  of  the  men  go  out  alone  ?  "  inquired  Mrs. 
Stanley. 

"  No  ;  but  I  suppose  that  this  one  must  have  separated 
from  his  comrade.  Hallo  !  who  goes  there  ?  " 

The  man  tossed  the  bundle  from  his  shoulders,  and, 
hastening  forward,  revealed  the  flushed  countenance  of 
Frank  Morton. 

"  What !  Frank !  why,  man,  you  seem  to  have  had  a 
hard  day  of  it,  if  I  may  judge  by  your  looks." 

"  Not  so  hard  but  that  a  good  supper  will  put  its 
effects  to  flight,"  replied  Frank,  as  he  rested  his  gun 
against  a  rock  and  seated  himself  on  the  keg  from 
which  Stanley  had  risen.  "  The  fact  is  I  have  slain 
a  noble  buck,  and,  being  desirous  that  the  men  should 
have  as  much  of  it  as  possible,  I  loaded  myself  rather 
heavily.  The  ground,  too,  is  horribly  bad;  but  pray  send 
Gaspard  for  the  bundle.  I  should  have  been  here  sooner 
but  for  the  time  required  to  dissect  the  animal." 

"Where  is  Bryan,  Frank?"  inquired  Mrs.  Stanley. 
•'  You  went  away  together." 

12 


178  UNGAVA. 

"  Bryan  ?  I  know  not.  He  and  I  parted  in  the  moun 
tains  some  hours  ago,  and  as  he  failed  to  keep  his  ap 
pointment  with  me,  I  concluded  that  he  must  have  be 
come  foot-sore,  and  returned  to  camp." 

"  He  has  not  returned,"  said  Stanley  ;  "  but  I  have  no 
fear  for  the  honest  blacksmith.  He's  too  old  a  nor'- 
wester  to  lose  himself,  and  he's  too  tough  to  kill.  But 
come,  Frank,  let  us  to  our  tent.  I  see  that  La  Roche 
has  already  prepared  our  salmon  for  the  kettle,  and 
so—" 

"  Salmon  !  "  interrupted  Frank. 

"  Ay,  lad,  salmon  !  a  twenty-five  pounder  too  !  But 
come,  change  your  foot-gear,  and  then  we  shall  have 
our  supper,  in  the  course  of  which  we  shall  exchange 
news." 

As  they  proceeded  towards  the  camp,  the  voices  of  some 
of  the  men  were  heard  in  the  distance :  it  was  now  too 
dark  to  see  them.  In  a  few  minutes,  Franfois,  followed 
by  Augustus  and  Ma-istequan,  strode  into  the  circle  of 
light  around  the  fire,  and,  laying  aside  their  guns,  pro 
ceeded  to  light  their  pipes,  while  they  replied  to  the  ques 
tions  of  Frank  and  Stanley. 

"  You  do  not  come  empty-handed,"  remarked  the  latter. 
as  Francois  and  his  comrades  threw  down  several  fat 
ducks  and  a  few  grouse,  which,  after  the  fashion  of  hunt 
ers,  they  had  carried  pendent  by  the  necks  from  their 
belts. 

"  We  only  shot  a  few,  monsieur,"  replied  Francois,  "  to 
put  in  the  kettle  for  supper.  We  might  have  loaded  a 
canoe  had  we  chosen." 

"  That  is  well,"  said  Stanley,  "  but  the  kettle  is  full  al 
ready,  and  supper  prepared ; — see,  Frank  has  shot  a  deer, 
so  that  we  shall  fare  well  to-night.  Ah  !  Prince,  come 


UXGAVA.  179 

along.  What !  more  game  ? "  he  added,  as  Dick  and 
Massan  entered  the  halo  of  light,  and  threw  down  the 
choice  morsels  of  a  fat  deer  which  they  had  killed  among 
the  mountains. 

"  Ah !  oui,  monsieur,"  said  Massan,  chuckling  as  he 
laid  aside  his  axe  and  gun ;  "  we  might  ha'  killed  three 
o'  them  if  we  had  been  so  minded,  but  we  couldn't  ha' 
brought  them  into  camp,  an',  as  Dick  said,  'tis  a  pity  to 
kill  deer  to  feed  the  wolves  with.1' 

"  Right,"  exclaimed  Frank  ;  "  but  did  any  of  you  see 
Bryan  ?  He  gave  me  the  slip  in  the  mountains,  and,  I 
fear,  has  lost  himself." 

To  this  the  men  replied  in  the  negative,  and  some  of 
them  smiled  at  the  idea  of  the  blacksmith  being  lost. 

"  Xo  fear,  vraiment !  He  no  lost,"  cried  La  Roche, 
with  a  laugh,  as  he  lifted  the  huge  kettle  from  the  fire 
and  placed  it  in  the  midst  of  the  men,  having  previously 
abstracted  the  best  portions  for  the  special  benefit  of 
his  master.  "  No  fear  ov  Bryan,  certainment ;  he  like 
one  bad  shilling, — he  come  up  toujours.  Ah!  mauvais 
chien,  him  give  me  all  de  trouble  ov  get  supper  ready 
mylone." 

"  I  trust  it  may  be  so,"  said  Stanley.  "  We  are  all 
here  except  him  and  Oolibuck,  whom  I  have  sent  to  the 
coast  for  a  few  days  to  watch  for  the  ship.  But  let  us 
have  supper,  La  Roche,  and  spread  ours  nearer  the  fire 
to-night, — it  is  rather  cold ;  besides  I  want  to  hear  the 
reports  of  the  men." 

In  compliance  with  this  order,  the  lively  Frenchman 
spread  the  supper  for  his  master's  family  close  beside 
that  of  the  men,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more  a  most  vig 
orous  attack  was  made  on  the  viands,  during  the  first 
part  of  which  the  hungry  travellers  maintained  unbroken^ 


180  UNGAVA. 

silence.  But  as  the  cravings  of  nature  began  to  be  satis 
fied,  their  tongues  found  time  to  remark  on  the  excel 
lence  of  the  fare.  The  salmon  was  superb.  Even  Edith, 
who  seldom  talked  about  what  she  ate,  pronounced  it 
very  good.  The  white-fish  were  better  than  any  of  the 
party  had  ever  eaten  in  their  lives,  although  most  of  them 
had  travelled  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  North 
American  wilderness.  The  ducks  were  perfect.  Even 
the  ptarmigan  were  declared  passable  ;  and  the  venison, 
with  an  inch  of  fat  on  (he  haunches, — words  were  not 
found  sufficiently  expressive  to  describe  it.  Those  who 
.are  philosophically  inclined  may  suspect  that  some  of  this 
super-excellence  lay  in  the  keen  appetites  of  the  men. 
Well,  perhaps  it  did. 

While  the  travellers  were  in  the  midst  of  this,  and  ere 
j»et  their  tongues  were  fairly  loosened,  a  loud,  unearthly 
shout  rang  with  appalling  reverberations  among  the  sur 
rounding  cliffs,  causing  the  entire  party  to  start  up  and 
rush  for  their  arms.  Again  the  cry  was  heard. 

"  Ah  !  bad  skran  to  ye,  Losh  !  Hould  on,  Moses,  ye 
fat  villain.  Lave  me  wan  mouthful,  jist  wan,  to  kape  me 
from  givin'  up  the  ghost  intirely." 

A  shout  of  laughter  greeted  the  advent  of  Bryan's 
voice,  but  it  was  nothing  to  the  peals  that  burst  forth  on 
the  appearance  of  that  individual  in  propria  persona. 
'To  say  that  he  was  totally  dishevelled  would  convey  but 
half  the  truth.  Besides  being  covered  and  clotted  with 
mud,  he  was  saturated  with  water  from  head  to  foot,  his 
clothes  rent  in  a  most  distressing  manner,  and  his  features 
quite  undistinguishable. 

"  Why,  Bryan,  what  ails  you  ?  Where  have  you 
'been?"  inquired  Stanley  in  a  tone  of  sympathy. 

"  Bin,  is  it  ? "     Sorra  wan   o'  me  knows  where  I've 


UNGAVA.  181 

bin.  It's  mysilf  is  glad  to  be  sartin  I'm  here,  any 
how." 

"  I'm  glad  you're  certain  of  it,"  said  Frank  ;  "  for  if  it 
were  not  for  the  sound  of  your  voice,  I  should  doubt  it." 

"  Ah,  monsieur  !  "  said  La  Roche,  "  make  your  mind 
easy  on  dat.  Xo  von  but  Bryan  ever  regard  de  kettle 
dat  way." 

"  Taizy  voo,  ye  petit  varmint,"  said  Bryan,  approach 
ing  the  said  kettle,  and  smiling  rapturously  through  the 
mud  that  incrusted  his  face,  on  beholding  its  contents. 
Without  waiting  to  change  his  garments,  the  hungry 
blacksmith  began  supper,  having  first,  however,  directed 
attention  to  the  bag  which  he  had  brought  in.  From  this 
bag  La  Roche  now  extracted  about  a  dozen  trout,  some 
of  which  were  of  great  size — especially  one,  whose  bulk 
exceeded  that  of  the  large  salmon. 

"  There's  plinty  more  where  thim  corned  from,"  said 
Bryan,  through  a  mouthful  of  venison  ;  "but  I'll  tell  ye 
ov  it  afther  supper." 

"  Ah,  true  !  don't  let  us  interrupt  him  just  now,"  said 
Stanley.  "  In  the  mean  time,  Francois,  since  you  seem 
to  be  about  done,  tell  us  what  you  have  seen,  and  let  us 
hear  what  you  have  to  say  of  the  country." 

Francois,  having  lighted  his  pipe,  cleared  his  throat 
and  began. 

"  Well,  monsieur,  after  we  had  paddled  a  short  bit 
beyond  the  point  below  the  last  rapid  in  Caneapusca 
River,  we  shoved  the  canoe  ashore,  and  landed  Prince 
and  Massan,  who  set  off  to  look  for  game,  leavin'  Augus 
tus,  Ma-istequan,  and  me  to  paddle  up  the  river  as  well 
as  we  could.  But  we  soon  found  that  three  men  in  a 
big  canoe  could  not  make  much  way  agin  the  strong 
current  of  the  river,  so  we  put  ashore  again  and  took  to 
our  leers. 


182  UNGAVA. 

"  After  making  a  long  tramp  up  the  banks  o'  the  river, 
we  fell  in  with  some  good-sized  pines ;  but,  although  they 
are  big  for  this  part  of  the  country,  they  are  not  big 
enough  for  building.  Then  we  pushed  into  the  gullies 
which  are  sheltered  from  the  cold  winds  off  the  bay,  and 
here  we  found  the  trees  a  good  deal  bigger.  There  are 
pines  and  larch  in  abundance,  and  some  of  the  larch  are 
even  bigger  than  we  require." 

"  Are  they  far  inland  ?  "  inquired  Stanley. 

"  No,  monsieur,  they  are  only  a  few  hundred  yards 
from  the  banks  of  the  river,  and  growin'  on  the  edge  of 
a  small  creek,  which  I  noticed  is  deep  enough  to  float 
them  down." 

"  Good,  very  good,"  said  Stanley,  filling  his  pipe  with 
a  fresh  charge  of  tobacco  ;  "  that  is  most  fortunate,  for  it 
will  save  time,  and  take  fewer  men  to  bring  them  here. 
Go  on,  Francois." 

"  Bien,  monsieur ;  then  I  felled  one  or  two  o'  the  trees, 
to  see  what  like  they  are  ;  and  I  found  that  they  are  very 
tough  and  good.  The  pines  are  firmer  and  tougher  than 
any  I  ever  saw  in  the  Indian  country ;  owing,  I  suppose, 
to  their  stunted  growth.  While  I  was  thus  employed, 
Augustus  shot  the  grouse  we  brought  home,  and  we  saw 
a  great  many  coveys  of  them.  In  fact  we  might  have 
shot  many  more  ;  but  as  we  did  not  know  how  far  we 
should  have  to  walk,  we  thought  it  best  not  to  burden  our 
selves  too  much.  We  also  saw  a  great  many  ducks,  and 
shot  a  few,  as  you  see." 

"  Did  you  see  goose?"  inquired  La  Roche,  whose  mind 
had  a  natural  tendency  to  culinary  matters. 

"  No,"  replied  Francois,  "  I  saw  no  geese  ;  but  I  did 
not  go  out  of  my  way  to  look  for  them.  I  was  more 
taken  up  with  the  timber  than  replenishing  the  kettle." 


UNGAVA.  183 

"  Ah !  that  ver'  great  pity.  Oui,  grande  damage.  De 
kittle  toujour  de  most  importance  ting  on  de  voyage. 
If  you  forget  him — you  goot  for  not'ing.  Mais,  Fran 
cois,  did  you  look  into  the  deep,  clear  pool  at  de  foot  of 
de  rapid  ?  " 

Francois  emitted  a  cloud  of  smoke,  with  a  negative  in 
the  middle  of  it. 

"  Ah  ! "  said  La  Roche  with  a  sigh,  "  I  thought  not ; 
mais  it  was  pity.  You  see  one  goose  for  certain,  if  you 
have  look  straight  down  into  dat  pool." 

"  Bien,"  continued  Francois,  turning  to  Stanley,  "  I 
then  went  into  one  or  two  more  gullies,  and  saw  some 
more  sticks  fit  for  building ;  but  after  all,  it  is  only  in  the 
gullies  they  grow,  and  there  are  not  very  many.  The 
trees  on  the  banks  of  the  river  are  chiefly  pines,  and  only 
fit  for  firewood." 

"  And  an  important  item  is  firewood,  as  we  shall  find 
ere  long,"  remarked  Stanley.  "  Your  account  of  the  tim 
ber  is  very  satisfactory,  Francois.  Did  you  see  traces  of 
Indians  or  Esquimaux  ?  " 

"  No  ;  I  saw  none." 

"  Perhaps  you  did,  Prince,"  continued  Stanley,  turn 
ing  to  that  worthy,  who  was  stretched,  along  with  Mas- 
san,  at  full  length  before  the  blaze,  and  had  been  listen 
ing  attentively  to  the  conversation,  while  he  solaced  him 
self  with  his  pipe. 

"  Yes,  sir,  we  seed  the  marks  they  left  behind  them," 
answered  Prince,  while  he  glanced  towards  Massan  as  if 
to  invite  him  to  give  the  desired  information. 

"  Ay,  we  saw  their  marks,  no  doubt,"  said  the  guide, 
knocking  the  ashes  out  of  his  pipe,  and  raising  himself 
from  his  reclining  posture  to  that  of  a  tailor,  the  more 
conveniently  to  recharge  that  beloved  implement.  "  Ay, 


184  UNGAVA. 

we  saw  their  marks,  and  they  was  by  no  means  pleasant 
to  look  on.  After  we  had  landed  above  th£  p'int,  as 
Francois  told  ye,  Dick  Prince  and  me  went  up  one  o' 
the  gullies,  an'  then  gettin'  on  one  o'  them  flat  places  that 
run  along  the  face  of  all  the  mountains  hereabouts,  we 
pushed  straight  up  the  river.  We  had  not  gone  far 
when,  on  turnin'  a  p'int  we  both  clapped  eyes  at  the  same 
moment  on  the  most  ill-lookin'  blackguard  of  a  wolf  I 
ever  saw.  Up  went  both  our  guns  at  once,  and  I  believe 
were  very  near  puttin'  a  bullet  in  each  of  his  eyes,  when 
we  noticed  that  these  same  eyes  were  not  lookin'  at  us, 
but  starin',  most  awful  earnest  like,  up  a  gully  in  the 
mountains ;  so  we  looked  up,  an',  sure  enough,  there  we 
saw  a  deer  on  the  mountain  top,  tossin'  its  head  and  snuf- 
fin'  round  to  see  that  the  coast  was  clear  before  it  came 
down  to  the  water.  We  noticed  that  a  regular  beaten 
deer-track  passed  down  this  gully,  and  master  wolf  who 
knowed  the  walk  very  well,  was  on  the  lookout  for  his 
dinner  ;  so  we  waited  quiet  till  the  deer  came  down,  an' 
Dick  put  a  bullet  in  its  heart,  an'  I  put  one  into  the 
wolf's  head,  so  they  both  tumbled  down  the  cliffs  together. 
The  shot  made  another  deer,  that  we  had  not  seen,  start 
off  into  the  river  ;  but,  before  it  got  a  few  yards  from  the 
shore,  Dick  loaded  again  and  put  a  bullet  into  its  head 
too,  an'  it  was  washed  ashore  at  the  p'int  below  us. 

"  Havin'  fixed  them  off  comfortably,  \ve  cut  up  the 
deer,  and  put  all  we  could  carry  on  our  shoulders,  for  we 
knowed  that  if  we  left  them,  we'd  find  nothin'  but  the 
bones  when  we  came  back.  About  an  hour  after  this  we 
came  upon  a  deserted  camp  of  Indians.  It  was  so  fresh 
that  we  think  they  must  have  passed  but  a  few  weeks 
ago.  The  whole  camp  was  strewed  with  bones  of  deer, 
as  if  the  red  varmints  had  been  havin'  a  feast.  An'  sure 


UNGAVA.  185 

enough,  a  little  farther  on,  we  came  upon  the  dead  car 
casses  of  ninety-three  deer !  The  rascals  had  taken 
nothin'  but  the  tongues  an'  titbits,  leavin'  the  rest  for  the 
wolves." 

"Ay,  they're  a  reckless,  improvident  set,"  remarked 
Stanley.  "  I've  been  told  that  the  Esquimaux  are  quite 
different  in  this  respect.  They  never  kill  what  they 
don't  require ;  but  the  red-skins  slaughter  the  deer  by 
dozens  for  the  sake  of  their  tongues." 

"  We  also  found  the  broken  head  of  an  Esquimaux 
seal-spear,  and  this  little  bit  of  seal-skin."  Massan 
handed  these  as  he  spoke  to  Stanley. 

"  I  feai-,"  said  Frank,  "  this  looks  as  if  they  had  made 
an  attack  on  the  Esquimaux  very  recently." 

"  I  fear  it  much,"  said  Stanley,  examining  the  little 
shred  of  seal-skin,  which  had  beautifully  glossy  hair  on 
one  side,  and  on  the  other,  which  was  dressed,  there  were 
sundry  curious  marks,  one  of  which  bore  a  rude  resem 
blance  to  an  Indian  wigwam,  with  an  arrow  pointing 
towards  it. 

"  I  found  the  bit  o'  seal-skin  hanging  on  a  bush  a  little 
apart  from  the  place  where  they  camped,  an'  from  what 
I've  seen  o'  the  ways  o'  red-skins,  it's  my  'pinion  that  it 
was  put  there  for  some  purpose  or  other." 

';  Very  likely ;  take  care  of  it,  Jessie,"  said  Stanley, 
throwing  it  to  his  wife  ;  "  it  may  be  explained  some  day. 
Well.  Massan,  did  you  see  any  other  animals  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  lots  o'  them.  We  saw  deer  on  the  hill  tops, 
and  might  ha'  shot  more  o'  them  if  we  could  have 
brought  them  into  camp.  An'  we  saw  porcupines  in  all 
the  pine  bluffs.  An'  we  saw  fish  in  the  lakes  among  the 
mountains.  There  are  lots  o'  them  lakes — small  things 
some  o'  them — in  all  the  gullies,  and  fish  in  most  o' 


18G  UNGAVA. 

them ;  but  we  had  neither  lines  nor  hooks,  so  we  catched 
none." 

"  Faix,  if  ye  catched  none,  yer  betters  catched  plinty," 
said  Bryan,  who,  having  concluded  supper  and  changed 
his  garments,  was  now  luxuriating  in  a  smoke.  The 
blacksmith  pointed,  as  he  spoke,  to  the  bag  of  splendid 
trout  which  lay  at  a  short  distance  from  the  fire. 

"'Tis  mysilf's  the  boy  to  catch  them.  I  would  have 
brought  ye  two  times  as  much,  if  it  wasn't  that  I  lost  my 
hook  and  line.  I  think  it  must  have  bin  a  freshwater 
whale,  the  last  wan,  bad  luck  to  it !  for  it  pulled  me  into 
the  wather  three  times,  an'  wint  off  at  last  with  two 
fathom  o'  cod-line  trailin'  behind  it." 

"So,  then,  Bryan,"  said  Frank,  "it  must  have  been 
the  yells  with  which  you  accompanied  your  fishing  that 
frightened  the  deer  I  was  after,  and  caused  me  to  lose 
him.  However,  as  I  got  another  soon  afterwards,  which 
must  have  been  frightened  towards  me  by  these  same 
halloos,  I  forgive  you." 

Frank  now  gave  the  party  an  account  of  what  he  had 
seen  ;  but  as  his  experience  merely  corroborated  that  of 
Dick  Prince  and  Massan,  we  will  not  trouble  the  reader 
with  the  details.  The  evidence  of  the  various  exploring 
parties,  when  summed  up,  was  undoubtedly  most  satis 
factory,  and,  while  it  relieved  the  mind  of  the  leaders  of 
the  band,  it  raised  and  cheered  the  spirits  of  the  men. 
Timber,  although  not  plentiful  or  very  large,  was  to  be 
had  close  to  the  spot  where  they  proposed  to  erect  their 
fort ;  game  of  all  kinds  swarmed  in  the  mountains  in 
abundance ;  and  the  lakes  and  rivers  were  well  stocked 
with  excellent  fish :  so  that,  upon  the  whole,  they  con 
sidered  that  they  had  made  an  auspicious  commencement 
to  their  sojourn  in  the  land  of  the  Esquimaux. 


UXGAVA.  187 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


OUTPOST-BUILDING  —  FORT    CIIIMO  —  AN    UNEXPECTED    ARRIVAL, 
WHICH  CAUSES   MUCH  JOY. 


E  band  of  fur  traders  now  set  earnestly  about  the 
-i  erection  of  their  winter-dwelling.  The  season  was 
so  far  advanced  that  the  men  could  no  longer  be  spared 
from  the  work  to  hunt  or  fish  in  the  mountains,  so  that 
they  lived  chiefly  on  the  produce  of  the  stake-nets  in 
front  of  the  camp,  and  a  small  allowance  of  the  provisions 
with  which  they  had  started  from  Moose  Fort.  Occa 
sionally  Frank  sallied  forth  and  returned  with  the  best 
parts  of  a  deer  on  his  shoulders  ;  but  these  excursions 
were  rare,  as  both  he  and  Stanley  worked  with  the  men 
in  the  erection  of  the  fort.  No  one  was  idle  for  a 
moment,  from  the  time  of  rising,  —  shortly  after  day 
break,  —  to  the  time  of  going  to  rest  at  night.  Even  little 
Edith  found  full  occupation  in  assisting  her  mother  in  the 
performance  of  a  host  of  little  household  duties,  too 
numerous  to  recapitulate.  The  dog  Chimo  Avas  the  only 
exception  to  the  general  rule.  He  hunted  the  greater 
part  of  the  forenoon,  for  his  own  special  benefit,  and  slept 
when  not  thus  occupied,  or  received  with  philosophical 
satisfaction  the  caresses  of  his  young  mistress. 

The  future  fort  was  begun  on  the  centre  of  the  level 
patch  of  green  sward  at  the  foot  of  the  flat  rock  by  the 
spring,  where  the  party  had  originally  encamped.  A 
square  was  traced  on  the  ground  to  indicate  the  stockade  ; 
and  within  this,  Stanley  marked  off  an  oblong  patch, 


188  UNGAVA. 

close  to  the  back  stockade,  for  the  principal  dwelling- 
house,  facing  the  river.  Two  other  spaces  were  on 
either  side  of  this, — one  for  a  store,  the  other  for  a  dwel 
ling  for  the  men.  When  finished,  the  fort  Avould  thus 
have  the  form  of  three  sides  of  a  square  surrounded  by 
a  stockade.  In  the  centre  of  this,  and  the  first  thing 
that  was  erected,  was  a  flagstaff,  on  which  the  II.  B.  C.* 
flag  was  hoisted,  and  saluted  with  three  cheers  as  its 
crimson  folds  fluttered  out  in  the  breeze  for  the  first 
time.  The  plan  on  which  the  houses  were  constructed 
was  that  on  which  all  the  dwellings  of  the  fur  traders  are 
built, — namely,  a  framework  of  timber,  the  interstices 
of  which  are  filled  up  with  logs  sliding  into  grooves  cut 
in  the  main  posts  and  beams.  This  manner  of  building  is 
so  simple,  that  a  house  can  be  erected  without  any  other 
instruments  than  an  axe,  an  auger,  and  a  large  chisel ; 
and  the  speed  Avith  which  it  is  put  up  would  surprise 
those  whose  notions  of  house-building  are  limited  to  stone 
edifices. 

The  axes  of  the  woodcutters  resounded  among  the 
gullies  and  ravines  of  Ungava,  and  awakened  the  nu 
merous  echoes  of  the  mountains.  The  encampment  no 
longer  presented  a  green  spot,  watered  by  a  tiny  rill,  but 
was  strewn  with  logs  in  all  stages  of  formation,  and  chips 
innumerable.  The  frameworks  of  the  dwelling-houses 
began  to  rise  from  the  earth,  presenting,  in  their  unfinished 
condition,  a  bristling,  uncomfortable  appearance,  suggest 
ing  thoughts  in  the  beholder's  mind  highly  disparaging  to 
art,  and  deeply  sympathetic  with  outraged  nature.  The 
tents  still  stood,  and  the  camp-fire  burned,  but  the  superior 
proportions  of  the  rising  fort  threw  these  entirely  into  the 
shade.  A  rude  wharf  of  unbarked  logs  ran  from  the 
*  Hudson's  Bay  Compuny. 


UNGAVA.  189 

beach  into  the  river.  It  had  been  begun  and  finished  in 
a  couple  of  days,  for  the  convenience  of  Gaspard  while 
visiting  his  nets,  as  he  sometimes  did,  before  the  water  left 
them.  Everything,  in  short,  bore  evidence  of  the  most 
bustling  activity  and  persevering  energy ;  and,  in  a  few 
weeks  from  the  time  of  their  first  landing,  the  dwelling- 
houses  were  sufficiently  weather-tight  to  be  habitable,  and 
the  other  portions  of  the  establishment  in  an  advanced 
condition. 

The  openings  between  the  logs  of  the  houses  were 
caulked  with  a  mixture  of  mud  and  moss,  and  left  in  that 
condition  in  the  mean  time,  until  the  pitsaw  could  be  set 
to  work  to  produce  boards  for  the  better  protection  of  the 
walls  without  and  within.  The  window  and  door  frames 
were  also  made,  and  covered  temporarily  with  parch 
ment,  until  the  arrival  of  the  ship  should  enable  them 
to  fill  the  former  with  glass  and  the  latter  with  broad 
panels. 

The  effect  of  the  parchment-covered  door,  however, 
was  found  to  be  somewhat  troublesome.  Being  large, 
and  tightly  covered,  it  sounded,  when  shut  violently,  with 
a  noise  so  strongly  resembling  the  report  of  a  distant 
cannon,  that,  during  the  first  day  after  its  erection,  the 
men  more  than  once  rushed  down  to  the  beach  in  the  ex 
pectation  of  seeing  the  long  and  ardently  wished-for 
ship  ;  which  was  now  so  much  beyond  the  time  appointed 
for  her  arrival,  that  Stanley  began  to  entertain  serious 
apprehensions  for  her  safety.  This  ship  Avas  to  have 
sailed  from  York  Fort,  the  principal  depot  of  the  fur 
traders  in  Hudson's  Bay,  with  supplies  and  goods  for 
trade  with  the  Esquimaux  during  the  year.  She 
was  expected  at  Ungava  in  August,  and  it  was  now 
September.  The  frost  was  beginning,  even  at  this  early 


190  UNGAVA. 

period,  to  remind  the  expedition  of  the  long  winter  that 
was  at  hand,  and  in  the  course  of  a  very  few  weeks  Hud 
son's  Straits  would  be  impassable ;  so  that  the  anxiety  of 
the  traders  was  natural. 

Just  before  the  partitions  of  the  chief  dwelling-house 
were  completed,  Stanley  went  to  the  tent  in  which  his 
wife  and  child  were  busily  employed  in  sewing. 

"  Can  you  spare  Edith  for  a  short  time,  wife  ?  "  said  he, 
as  his  partner  looked  up  to  welcome  him. 

"  Yes,  for  a  short  time  ;  but  she  is  becoming  so  useful 
to  me,  that  I  cannot  afford  to  spare  her  long." 

"  I'm  afraid,"  said  Stanley,  as  he  took  his  child  by 
the  hand  and  led  her  away,  "  that  I  must  begin  to  put 
in  my  claim  to  the  services  of  this  little  baggage,  who 
seems  to  be  so  useful.  What  say  you,  Eda ;  will  you 
allow  me  to  train  you  to  shoot,  and  fish,  and  walk  on 
snow-shoes,  and  so  make  a  trader  of  you  ?  " 

"  I  would  like  very  much,  papa,  to  learn  to  walk  on 
snow-shoes,  but  I  think  the  gun  would  hurt  me, — it  seems 
to  kick  so.  Don't  you  think  I  am  too  little  to  shoot  a 
gun  off  ?  " 

Stanley  laughed  at  the  serious  way  in  which  the  child 
received  the  proposal. 

"  Well,  then,  we  won't  teach  you  to  shoot  yet,  Eda ; 
but,  as  you  say,  the  snow-shoe  walking  is  worth  learn 
ing,  for  if  you  cannot  walk  on  the  long  shoes  when 
the  snow  falls,  I  fear  you'll  not  be  able  to  leave  the  fort 
at  all." 

"  Yes,  and  Francois  has  promised  to  make  me  a  pair," 
said  Edith,  gayly,  ';  and  to  teach  me  how  to  use  them  ; 
and  mamma  says  I  am  old  enough  to  learn  now.  Is  it 
not  kind  of  Franfois  ?  He  is  always  very  good  to  me." 

"  Indeed  it  is  very  kind  of  him,  my  pet  ;  but  all  the 
men  seem  to  be  very  good  to  you, — are  they  not  ?  " 


UNGAVA.  191 

"  Oh,  yes  ! — all  of  them.  Even  Gaspare!  is  kind  now. 
He  never  whips  Chimo,  and  he  patted  me  on  the  head 
the  other  day  when  I  met  him  alone  in  the  ravine, — 
the  berry  ravine,  you  know,  where  I  go  to  gather  berries. 
I  wonder  if  there  are  berries  in  all  the  other  ravines  ? — 
but  I  don't  care  much,  for  there  are  thousands  and  thou 
sands  of  all  kinds  in  my  own  ravine,  and — where  are  you 
going,  papa  ?  " 

This  abrupt  question  was  caused  by  her  father  turning 
into  the  square  of  the  new  fort,  in  which  the  most  of  the 
men  were  at  work. 

"  I'm  going  to  show  you  our  house,  Eda,  and  to  ask 
you  to  fix  on  the  corner  you  like  best  for  your  own 
room.  The  partitions  are  going  to  be  put  up,  so  we  must 
fix  at  once." 

As  he  spoke  they  passed  through  the  open  door-way 
of  the  new  dwelling,  which  was  a  long,  low  building ; 
and,  placing  his  little  daughter  in  the  centre  of  the  prin 
cipal  hall,  Stanley  directed  her  to  look  round  and  choose 
a  corner  for  herself. 

For  a  few  minutes  Edith  stood  with  an  expression  of 
perplexity  on  her  bright  face  ;  then  she  began  to  examine 
the  views  from  each  of  the  corner  windows.  This  could 
only  be  done  by  peeping  through  the  bullet  hole  in  the 
parchment  skins  that  in  the  mean  time  did  duty  for  glass. 
The  two  windows  at  the  back  corners  looked  out  upon 
the  rocky  platform,  behind  which  the  mountains  rose  like 
a  wall,  so  they  were  rejected ;  but  Edith  lingered  at  one 
of  them,  for  from  it  she  saw  the  spring  at  the  foot  of  the 
rock,  with  its  soft  bed  of  green  moss  and  surrounding 
willow  bushes.  From  the  front  corner  on  the  left  hand 
Cross  Island  and  the  valley  of  the  river  beyond  were 
visible ;  but  from  the  window  on  the  right  the  view 


192  UNGAVA. 

embraced  the  whole  sweep  of  the  wide  river  and  the 
narrow  outlet  to  the  bay,  which,  with  its  frowning  preci 
pices  on  either  side,  and  its  bold  flanking  mountains, 
seemed  a  magnificent  portal  to  the  Arctic  Sea. 

"  I  think  this  is  the  nicest  corner,"  said  Edith,  turning 
with  a  smile  to  her  father. 

"  Then  this  shall  be  yours,"  said  Stanley. 

"  But,"  exclaimed  Edith,  as  a  sudden  thought  occurred 
to  her,  "  perhaps  Frank  would  like  this  corner.  I  would 
not  like  to  have  it  if  Frank  wants  it." 

"  Frank  doesn't  want  it,  and  Frank  shan't  have  it ; 
there,  now,  run  to  your  mother,  you  little  baggage ;  she 
can't  get  on  without  you.  Off  you  go,  quick  !  " 

With  a  merry  laugh  Edith  bounded  through  the  door 
way,  and  disappeared  like  a  sunbeam  from  the  room. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  Stanley  was  standing  on  the 
beach,  opposite  the  fort,  watching  with  a  smile  of  satis 
faction  the  fair,  happy  face  of  his  daughter,  as  she 
amused  herself  and  Chimo  /by  throwing  a  stick  into  the 
water,  which  the  latter  dutifully  brought  out  and  laid  at 
her  feet  as  often  as  it  was  thrown  in.  Frank  was  also 
watching  them. 

"  "What  shall  we  call  the  fort,  Frank  ?  "  said  his  com 
panion.  "  We  have  a  Fort  Good  Hope,  and  a  Fort 
Resolution,  and  a  Fort  Enterprise  already.  It  seems  as 
if  all  the  vigorous  and  hearty  words  in  the  English  lan 
guage  were  used  up  in  naming  the  forts  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company.  What  shall  we  call  it  ?  " 

"  Chimo !  Chimo  !  Chimo  !  "  shouted  Edith  to  the  dog, 
as  the  animal  bounded  along  the  beach. 

Both  gentlemen  seemed  to  be  struck  with  the  same 
idea  simultaneously. 

"  There's  an  answer  to  your  question,"  said  Frank ; 
"  call  the  fort  '  Chimo.'  " 


KDIT1I    AXI>   CIIIMO   AT    LMiAVA          I'agi-  193 


UXGAVA.  193 

"  The  very  thing  !  "  replied  Stanley  ;  "  I  wonder  it  did 
not  occur  to  me  before.  Nothing  could  be  more  appro 
priate.  I  salute  thee,  Fort  Chimo,"  and  Stanley  lifted 
his  cap  to  the  establishment. 

In  order  that  the  peculiar  appropriateness  of  the  name 
may  appear  to  the  reader,  it  may  be  as  well  to  explain 
that  Chimo  (the  i  and  o  of  which  are  sounded  long)  is  an 
Esquimaux  word  of  salutation,  and  is  used  by  the  natives 
when  they  meet  with  strangers.  It  signifies,  Are  you 
friendly  ?  by  those  who  speak  first ;  and  seems  to  imply, 
We  are  friendly,  when  returned  as  an  answer.  So  well 
known  is  the  word  to  the  fur  traders  who  traffic  with  the 
natives  of  Hudson's  Straits,  that  they  frequently  apply 
it  to  them  as  a  name,  and  speak  of  the  Esquimaux  as 
Chimos.  It  was,  therefore,  a  peculiarly  appropriate 
name  for  a  fort  which  was  established  on  the  confines  of 
these  icy  regions,  for  the  double  purpose  of  entering  into 
friendly  traffic  witli  the  Esquimaux,  and  of  bringing 
about  friendly  relations  between  them  and  their  old  ene 
mies,  the  Muskigon  Indians  of  East  Main. 

After  playing  for  some  time  beside  the  low  wharf, 
Edith  and  her  dog  left  the  beach  together,  and  rambled 
towards  a  distant  eminence  whence  could  be  obtained  a 
commanding  birdseye  view  of  the  new  fort.  She  had 
not  sat  many  minutes  here  when  her  eye  was  arrested 
by  the  appearance  of  an  unusual  object  in  the  distance. 
Frank,  who  was  yet  engaged  in  conversation  with  Stan 
ley  on  the  beach,  also  noticed  it.  Laying  his  hand  ore 
the  arm  of  his  companion,  he  pointed  towards  the  nar 
rows,  where  a  small,  white,  triangular  object  was  visible 
against  the  dark  cliff.  As  they  gazed,  a  second  object 
of  similar  form  came  into  view  ;  then  a  fore  and  top 
sail  made  their  appearance  ;  and,  in  another  second,  a 

13 


194  UXGAVA. 

schooner  floated  slowly  through  the  opening  !  Ere  the 
spectators  of  this  silent  apparition  could  give  utterance 
to  their  joy,  a  puff  of  white  smoke  sprang  from  the  ves 
sel's  bow,  and  a  cannon-shot  burst  upon  the  mountains. 
Leaping  on  from  cliff  to  crag,  it  awakened  a  crash  of 
magnificent  echoes,  which,  after  prolonged  repetitions, 
died  away  in  low  mutterings  like  distant  thunder.  It 
was  followed  by  a  loud  cheer  from  the  schooner's  deck, 
and  the  H.  B.  C.  flag  was  run  up  to  the  main,  while  the 
Union-Jack  floated  at  the  peak. 

"  Now,  Frank,  give  the  word,"  cried  Stanley,  taking 
off  his  cap,  while  the  men  ran  down  to  the  beach  en 
masse. 

"  Hip,  hip,  hurrah  !" 

"  Hurrah !  "  echoed  the  men,  and  a  cheer  arose  among 
the  cliffs  that  moved  to  the  very  centre  the  hearts  of  those 
who  heard  and  gave  it. 

Again  and  again  the  stirring  shout  arose  from  the  fort, 
and  was  replied  to  from  the  schooner.  It  was  no  matter 
of  form,  or  cheer  of  ceremony.  There  was  a  deep  rich 
ness  and  a  prolonged  energy  in  the  tone,  which  proved 
that  the  feelings  and  lungs  of  the  men  were  roused  to 
the  uttermost  in  its  delivery.  It  told  of  long  gathering 
anxieties  swept  entirely  away,  and  of  deep  joy  at  seeing 
friendly  faces  in  a  sterile  land,  where  lurking  foes  might 
be  more  likely  to  appear. 

At  all  times  the  entrance  of  a  ship  into  port  is  a  noble 
sight,  and  one  which  touches  the  heart  and  evokes  the 
enthusiasm  of  almost  every  human  being ;  but,  when  the 
ship  arriving  is  almost  essential  to  the  existence  of  those 
who  watch  her  snowy  sails  swelling  out  as  they  urge  her 
to  the  land, — when  her  keel  is  the  first  that  has  ever 
ploughed  the  waters  of  their  distant  bay, — and  when  her 


UNGAVA,  195 

departure  will  lock  them  up  in  solitude  for  a  long,  long 
year, — such  feelings  are  roused  to  their  utmost  pitch  of 
intensity. 

Cheer  upon  cheer  rose  and  fell,  and  rose  again,  among 
the  mountains  of  Ungava.  Even  Edith's  tiny  voice  helped 
to  swell  the  enthusiastic  shout  ;  and  more  than  one  cheer 
was  choked  by  the  rising  tide  of  emotion  that  forced  the 
tears  down  more  than  one  bronzed  cheek,  despite  the 
iron  wills  that  bade  them  not  to  flow. 


196  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

BUSTLE  AND  BUSINESS— A  GREAT  FEAST.  IN  WHICH  BRYAN  AND 
LA  ROCHE  ARE  PRIME  MOVERS— NEW  IDEAS  IN  THE  ART  OK 
COOKING. 

THE  scene  at  Fort  Chimo  was  more  bustling  and 
active  than  ever,  during  the  week  that  followed 
the  arrival  of  the  schooner.  The  captain  told  Stanley, 
as  they  sat  sipping  a  glass  of  Madeira  in  the  hall  of  the 
new  fort,  that  he  had  been  delayed  by  ice  in  the  straits 
so  long,  that  the  men  were  afraid  of  being  set  fast  for  the 
winter,  and  were  almost  in  a  state  of  mutiny,  when  they 
fortunately  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  river.  As  had 
been  anticipated  by  Stanley,  the  ship  entered  False  River 
by  mistake,  unseen  by  Oolibuck,  notwithstanding  the  vig 
ilance  of  his  lookout.  Fortunately  he  observed  it  as  it 
came  out  of  the  river,  just  at  the  critical  period  when  the 
seamen  began  to  threaten  to  take  the  law  into  their  own 
hands  if  the  search  were  continued  any  longer.  Ooli 
buck  no  sooner  beheld  the  object  of  his  hopes  than  he 
rushed  to  the  top  of  a  hill,  where  he  made  a  fire  and 
sent  up  a  column  of  smoke,  that  had  the  immediate  effect 
of  turning  the  vessel's  head  towards  him.  Soon  after 
wards  a  boat  was  sent  ashore,  and  took  the  Esquimaux 
on  board,  who  explained,  in  his  broken  English,  that  he 
had  been  watching  for  them  for  many  days,  and  would 
be  happy  to  pilot  the  vessel  up  to  the  fort. 

"You  may  be  sure,"  continued  the  captain,  "  that   I 
was  too  happy  to  give  the  ship  in  charge  to  the  fellow, 


UXGAVA.  197 

who  seemed  to  understand  thoroughly  what  he  was  about. 
He  is  already  quite  a  favorite  with  the  men,  who  call 
him  Oilybuss,  much  to  his  own  amusement ;  and  he  has 
excited  their  admiration  and  respect  by  his  shooting,  hav 
ing  twice  on  the  way  up  shot  a  goose  on  the  wing." 

"  Not  an  unusual  exhibition  of  skill  among  fur  trad 
ers,"  said  Stanley  ;  "  but  I  suppose  your  men  are  not 
much  used  to  the  gun.  And  now,  captain,  when  must 
you  start  ?  " 

"  The  moment  the  cargo  is  landed,  sir,"  replied  the 
captain,  who  was  distinguished  by  that  thorough  self- 
sufficiency  and  prompt  energy  of  character  which  seem 
peculiar  to  sea-captains  in  general.  "  We  may  have 
trouble  in  getting  out  of  the  straits,  and,  after  getting 
to  Quebec,  I  am  bound  to  carry  a  cargo  of  timber  to 
England." 

"  I  will  do  my  best  to  help  you,  captain.  Your  com 
ing  has  relieved  my  mind  from  a  load  of  anxiety,  and 
one  good  turn  deserves  another,  so  I'll  make  my  fellows 
work  night  and  day  till  your  ship  is  discharged." 

Stanley  was  true  to  his  word.  Not  only  did  the  men 
work  almost  without  intermission,  but  he  and  Frank 
Morton  scarce  allowed  themselves  an  hour's  repose  dur 
ing  the  time  that  the  work  was  going  on.  Night  and 
day  "  yo  heave  ho "  of  the  Jack  Tars  rang  over  the 
water ;  and  the  party  on  shore  ran  to  and  fro,  from  the 
beach  to  the  store,  with  bales,  kegs,  barrels,  and  boxes 
on  their  shoulders.  There  were  blankets  and  guns,  and 
axes  and  knives,  powder  and  shot,  and  beads  and  awls, 
and  nets  and  twine.  There  were  kettles  of  every  sort 
and  size  ;  cloth  of  every  hue  ;  capotes  of  all  dimensions, 
and  minute  etceteras  without  end ;  so  that,  had  it  been 
possible  to  prevail  on  the  spirits  of  the  ice  to  carry  to 


198  UNGAVA. 

the  Esquimaux  intelligence  of  the  riches  contained  in 
the  store  at  Chimo,  an  overwhelming  flood  of  visitors 
would  speedily  have  descended  on  that  establishment. 
But  no  such  messengers  could  be  found, — although  Bryan 
asserted  positively  that  more  than  "  wan  o'  them "  had 
been  seen  by  him  since  his  arrival ;  so  the  traders  had 
nothing  for  it  but  to  summon  patience  to  their  aid  and 
bide  their  time. 

When  the  work  of  discharging  was  completed,  and 
while  Stanley  and  the  captain  were  standing  on  the  beach 
watching  the  removal  of  the  last  boat-load  to  the  store, 
the  former  said  to  the  latter  :  "  Now,  captain,  I  have  a 
favor  to  request,  which  is  that  you  and  your  two  mates 
will  dine  with  me  to-morrow.  Your  men  will  be  the 
better  of  a  day's  rest  after  such  a  long  spell  of  hard 
work.  You  could  not  well  get  away  till  the  evening  of 
to-morrow  at  any  rate,  on  account  of  the  tide,  and  it  will 
be  safer  and  more  pleasant  to  start  early  on  the  day 
after." 

'•  I  shall  be  most  happy,"  replied  the  captain,  heartily. 

"  That's  right,"  said  Stanley.  "  Dinner  will  be  ready 
by  four  o'clock  precisely  ;  and  give  my  compliments  to 
your  crew,  and  say  that  my  men  will  expect  them  all  to 
dinner  at  the  same  hour." 

Ten  minutes  after  this,  Stanley  •  entered  his  private 
apartment  in  the  fort,  which,  under  the  tasteful  manage 
ment  of  his  wife,  was  beginning  to  look  elegant  and  com 
fortable. 

"  "Wife,"  said  he,  "  I  will  order  La  Roche  to  send  you  a 
box  of  raisins  and  an  unlimited  supply  of  flour,  butter,  &c., 
wherewith  you  will  be  so  kind  as  to  make,  or  cause  to  be 
made, — on  pain  of  my  utmost  displeasure  in  the  event  of 
failure. — a  plum-pudding  large  enough  to  fill  the  largest 


UNGAVA.  199 

sized  washing-tub,  and  another  of  about  a  quarter  that 
size ;  both  to  be  ready  boiled  by  four  to-morrow  after 
noon." 

"  Sir,  your  commands  shall  be  obeyed.  I  suppose 
you  intend  to  regale  the  sailors  before  they  leave.  Is  it 
not  so  ?  " 

"  You  have  guessed  rightly  for  once ;  and  take  care 
that  you  don't  let  Eda  drown  herself  in  the  compost 
before  it  is  tied  up.  I  must  hasten  to  prepare  the 
men." 

Two  minutes  later,  and  Stanley  stood  in  the  midst  of 
his  men,  who,  having  finished  their  day's  work,  were 
now  bu*y  with  supper  in  their  new  house,  into  which 
they  had  but  recently  moved. 

'•  Lads,"  said  Stanley,  "  you  have  stuck  to  your  work 
so  hard  of  late  that  I  think  it  a  pity  to  allow  you  to  fall 
into  lazy  habits  again.  I  expect  you  all  to  be  up  by 
break  of  day  to-morrow." 

"  Och !  musha ! "  sighed  Bryan,  as  he  laid  down  his 
knife  and  fork  with  a  look  of  consternation. 

"  I  have  invited  the  ship's  crew,"  continued  Stanley, 
"  to  dine  with  you  before  they  leave  us.  As  the  larder 
is  low  just  now,  you'll  all  have  to  take  to  the  hills  for  a 
fresh  supply.  Make  your  arrangements  as  you  please, 
frut  see  that  there  is  no  lack  of  venison  and  fish.  I'll 
guarantee  the  pudding  and  grog." 

So  saying,  he  turned  and  left  the  house,  followed  by  a 
tremendous  cheer. 

"  Oh  !  parbleu  !  vat  shall  I  do  ?"  said  La  Roche,  with 
a  look  of  affected  despair.  "  I  am  most  dead  for  vant  of 
sleep  already.  C'est  impossible  to  cook  pour  everybody 
demain.  I  vill  be  sure  to  fall  'sleep  over  de  fire,  per 
haps  fall  into  him." 


200  UXGAVA. 

"  Och,  Losh,  Losh,  when  will  ye  larn  to  think  not h in' 
o'  yoursilf?  Ye'll  only  have  to  cook  for  the  bourgeois, 
but  think  o'  me  !  All  the  min,  an'  the  ship's  crew  to 
boot ! " 

The  blacksmith  concluded  by  knocking  La  Roche's 
pipe  out  of  his  mouth,  in  the  excess  of  his  glee  at  the 
prospective  feast  ;  after  which  he  begged  his  pardon 
solemnly  in  bad  French,  and  ducked  his  head  to  ai'oid 
the  tin  can  that  was  hurled  at  it  by  the  indignant  French 
man. 

At  the  first  streak  of  dawn  the  following  morning,  and 
long  before  the  sun  looked  down  into  the  ravines  of  Un- 
gava,  Massan  and  Dick  Prince  were  seen  to  issue  with 
noiseless  steps  from  the  fort,  with  their  guns  on  their 
shoulders,  and  betake  themselves  to  the  mountains.  Half 
an  hour  later  Bryan  staggered  out  of  the  house, — with  a 
bag  on  his  shoulder, — scarcely  half  awake,  rubbing  his 
eyes  and  muttering  to  himself,  in  a  low  tone,  as  he 
plunged  rather  than  walked  into  the  ravine  which  led  to 
the  first  terrace  on  the  mountain. 

When  the  sun  rose  over  the  mountain  tops  and  looked 
down  upon  the  calm  surface  of  the  river,  there  was  not  a 
man  remaining  in  the  fort,  with  the  exception  of  Stanley 
and  Frank,  and  their  active  servant  La  Roche. 

A  deep  calm  rested  on  the  whole  scene.  The  sailors 
of  the  vessel,  having  risen  to  despatch  breakfast,  retired 
to  their  hammocks  again  and  went  to  sleep  ;  Stanley, 
Frank,  and  their  household,  were  busy  within  doors ; 
Chimo  snored  in  the  sunshine  at  the  front  of  the  fort ; 
and  the  schooner  floated  on  a  sheet  of  water  so  placid, 
that  every  spar  and  delicate  rope  was  clearly  reflected. 
Nothing  was  heard  save  the  soft  ripple  on  the  shore, 
the  distant  murmur  of  mountain  streams,  and,  once  or 


VNGAVA.  201 

twice  through  the  day,  the  faint  reverberation  of  a  fowl 
ing-piece. 

But  as  the  day  advanced,  evidences  of  the  approach 
ing  feast  began  to  be  apparent.  Early  in  the  forenoon 
Massan  and  Prince  returned  with  heavy  loads  of  ven 
ison  on  their  shoulders  ;  and,  an  hour  later,  Bryan  stag 
gered  into  the  fort,  bending  under  the  weight  of  a  well- 
filled  bag  of  fish.  He  had  been  at  his  favorite  fishing 
quarters  in  the  dark  valley,  and  was  dripping  wet  from 
head  to  foot,  having  fallen,  as  usual,  into  the  water 
Bryan  had  a  happy  facility  in  falling  into  the  water,  that 
was  quite  unaccountable, — and  rather  enviable  in  warm 
weather.  As  the  cooking  operations  were  conducted  on 
an  extensive  scale,  a  fire  was  kindled  in  the  open  air  in  the 
rear  of  the  men's  house  ;  round  which  fire,  in  the  course 
of  the  forenoon,  Bryan  and  La  Roche  performed  feats  of 
agility  so  extravagant,  and,  apparently,  so  superhuman, 
that  they  seemed  to  involve  an  element  of  wickedness 
from  their  very  intensity.  Of  course  no  large  dinner  ever 
passed  through  the  ordeal  of  being  cooked,  without  some 
accidents  or  misfortunes,  more  or  less.  Even  in  civilized 
life,  where  the  most  intricate  appliances  are  brought  to 
fyear  on  the  operation  by  artistes  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  their  profession,  infallibility  is  not  found.  It  would 
be  unjust,  therefore,  to  expect  that  two  backwoodsmen 
should  be  perfectly  successful,  especially  when  it  is  re 
membered  that  their  branch  of  the  noble  science  was 
what  might  be  technically  termed  plain  cookery ;  the 
present  being  their  first  attempt  in  the  higher  branches. 

Their  first  difficulty  arose  from  the  larger  of  the  two 
plum-puddings,  which  La  Roche'  had  compounded  under 
the  directions  of  Mrs.  Stanley  and  superintendence  of 
Edith. 


202  UXGAVA. 

"  I  say,  Losh,"  cried  Bryan  to  his  companion,  whose 
head  was  at  the  moment  hid  from  view  in  a  clou'd  of 
steam  that  ascended  from  a  large  pot  over  which  he  bent, 
apparently  muttering  incantations. 

"  Veil,  fat  you  want  ?  " 

"  Faix,  and  it's  just  fat  that  I  don't  want,"  said  Bryan, 
pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to  the  large  pudding,  which,  being 
muoh  too  large  for  the  kettle,  was  standing  on  the  rim 
thereof  like  the  white  ball  of  foam  that  caps  a  tankard  of 
double  X.  "  It's  more  nor  twice  too  fat  already.  The 
kittle  won't  hould-it,  no  how." 

"  Oh,  stuff  him  down,  dat  is  de  way,"  suggested  La 
Roche. 

"  Stuff  it  down,  avic,  an'  what's  to  come  o'  the  wather?" 
said  Bryan. 

"  Ah  !  true,  dat  is  perplexible,  vraiment." 

At  this  moment  the  large  pot  boiled  over  and  a  cloud 
of  scalding  steam  engulfed  the  sympathetic  Frenchman, 
causing  him  to  yell  with  mingled  pain  and  rage  as  he 
bounded  backwards. 

"  Musha  !  but  ye'll  come  to  an  early  death,  Losh,  if  ye 
don't  be  more  careful  o'  yer  dried-up  body." 

"  Taisez  vous,  done,"  muttered  his  companion,  half 
angrily. 

"  Taisin'  ye  ?  avic,  sorrow  wan  o'  me's  taisin'  ye.  But 
since  ye  can't  help  me  out  o'  me  throubles,  I'll  try  to  help 
mysilf." 

In  pursuance  of  this  noble  resolve,  Bryan  went  to  the 
store  and  fetched  from  thence  another  large  tin  kettle. 
He  then  undid  the  covering  of  the  unwieldy  pudding, 
which  he  cut  into  two  equal  parts,  and  having  squeezed 
them  into  two  balls,  tied  them  up  in  the  cloth,  which  he 
divided  for  the  purpose,  and  put  them  into  the  separate 


UNGAVA.  203 

kettles  with  the  air  of  a  man  who  had  overcome  a  great 
difficulty  by  dint  of  unfathomable  wisdom.  It  was  found, 
however,  that  the  smaller  pudding,  intended  for  Stanley's 
table,  was  also  too  large  for  its  kettle  ;  but  the  energetic 
blacksmith,  whose  genius  was  now  thoroughly  aroused, 
overcame  this  difficulty  by  cutting  off  several  pounds  of 
it,  and  transferring  the  pudding  thus  reduced  to  the  ket 
tle,  saying  in  an  undertone  as  he  did  so,  "  There's  more 
nor  enough  for  the  six  o'  ye  yit,  av  yer  only  raisonable 
in  yer  appetites." 

But  the  superfluity  of  the  pudding  thus  caused,  became 
now  a  new  source  of  trouble  to  Bryan. 

"  What's  to  be  done  wid  it,  Losh  ?  I  don't  like  to  give 
it  to  the  dogs,  an'  it's  too  small  intirely  to  make  a  dump- 
lin'  of." 

"  You  better  heat  him  raw,"  suggested  La  Roche. 

"  Faix,  an'  I've  half  a  mind  to ;  but  it  would  spile  my 
dinner.  Hallo  !  look  out  for  the  vainison,  Losh." 

"  Ah,  oui ;  oh  !  misere  !  "  cried  La  Roche,  springing 
over  the  fire  and  giving  a  turn  to  the  splendid  haunch  of 
venison  which  depended  from  a  wooden  tripod  in  front  of 
the  blaze,  and,  having  been  neglected  for  a  few  minutes, 
was  beginning  to  singe. 

"  What  have  ye  in  the  pot  there  ?  "  inquired  Bryan. 

"  Yon  goose ;  two  duck ;  trois  plovre,  et  von  leetle 
bird, — I  not  know  de  name  of, — put  him  in  pour  ex 
periment." 

"  Very  good,  Losh  ;  out  wid  the  goose  and  we'll  cram 
the  bit  o'  dumplin'  into  him  for  stuffin'." 

"  Ah  !  superb,  excellent,"  cried  La  Roche,  laughing, 
as  he  lifted  out  the  goose,  into  which  Bryan  thrust  the 
mass  of  superfluous  pudding ;  after  which  the  hole  was 
tied  up  and  the  bird  reconsigned  to  the  pot. 


204  UXGAVA. 

Everything  connected  with  this  dinner  was  strikingly 
suggestive  of  the  circumstances  under  which  it  was  given. 
The  superabundance  of  venison  and  wild  fowl ;  the  cook 
ing  done  in  the  open  air ;  the  absence  of  women,  and  the 
performance  of  work  usually  allotted  to  them  by  bronzed 
and  stalwart  voyageurs ;  the  wild  scenery  in  the  midst  of 
which  it  took  place  ;  and  the  mixture  of  Irish,  English, 
French,  Indian,  Esquimaux,  and  compound  tones,  that  fell 
upon  the  ear  as  the  busy  work  went  on, — all  tended  to 
h'll  the  mind  with  a  feeling  of  wild  romance,  and  to  sug 
gest  powerfully  the  idea  of  being,  if  we  may  so  express 
it,  far  far  away!  As  the  proceedings  advanced  towards 
completion,  this  feeling  was  rather  increased  than  re 
moved. 

Tables  and  chairs  were  a  luxury  that  still  remained  to 
be  introduced  at  Fort  Chimo,  when  the  men  found  leisure 
from  more  urgent  duties  to  construct  them.  Therefore 
the  dining-table  in  Stanley's  hall  was  composed  of  three 
large  packing-cases  turned  bottom  up.  There  was  no 
cloth  wherewith  to  cover  its  rough  boards  ;  but  this  was 
a  matter  of  little  importance  to  the  company  which  as 
sembled  round  it,  punctually  at  the  hour  of  four.  In 
place  of  chairs  there  were  good  substantial  nail-kegs, 
rather  low,  it  is  true,  and  uncommonly  hard,  but  not  to 
be  despised  under  the  circumstances.  Owing  to  the  un 
usual  demand  for  dishes,  the  pewter  plates  and  spoons 
and  tin  drinking-cups, — for  they  had  little  crockery, — 
were  of  every  form  and  size  that  the  store  contained  ; 
and  the  floor  on  which  it  all  stood  was  the  beaten  ground, 
for  the  intended  plank  flooring  was  still  growing  in  the 
mountain  glens. 

But  if  the  equipage  was  homely  and  rude,  the  fare 
was  choice  and  abundant ;  and  an  odor  that  might  have 


UXGAVA.  205 

.*.. 

gladdened  the  heart  of  an  epicure  greeted  the  nostrils  of 
the  captain  and  his  two  mates  when  they  entered  the 
hall,  dressed  in  blue  surtouts  with  bright  brass  buttons, 
white  duck  trousers,  and  richly  flowered  vests.  'There 
was  a  splendid  salmon,  of  twenty  pounds  weight,  at  one 
end  of  the  board  ;  and  beside  it,  on  the  same  dish,  a  lake- 
trout  of  equal  size  and  beauty.  At  the  other  end  smoked 
a  haunch  of  venison,  covered  with  at  least  an  inch  of 
fat ;  and  beside  it  a  bowl  of  excellent  cranberry  jam, 
the  handiwork  of  the  hostess.  A  boiled  goose  and  pease 
pudding  completed  the  catalogue.  Afterwards,  these  gave 
place  to  the  pudding  which  had  caused  Bryan  so  much 
perplexity,  and  several  dishes  of  raisins  and  figs.  Last, 
but  not  least,  there  was  a  bottle  of  brandy  and  two  of  port 
wine  ;  which,  along  with  the  raisins  and  figs,  formed  part 
of  the  limited  supply  of  luxuries  furnished  by  the  Hud 
son's  Bay  Company  to  Stanley,  in  common  with  all  the 
gentlemen  in  the  service,  in  order  to  enable  them,  now 
and  then,  on  great  occasions,  to  recall,  through  the  medium 
of  a  feast,  the  remembrance  of  civilized  life. 

The  display  in  the  men's  house  was  precisely  similar 
to  that  in  the  hall.  But  the  table  was  larger  and  the 
viands  more  abundant.  The  raisins  and  figs,  too,  were 
wanting ;  and  instead  of  wine  or  brandy,  there  was  a 
small  supply  of  rum.  It  was  necessarily  small,  being  the 
gift  of  Stanley  out  of  his  own  diminutive  store,  which 
could  not,  even  if  desired,  be  replenished  until  the  return 
of  the  ship  next  autumn. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  guests  a  strange  contrast  was 
presented.  The  sailors,  in  white  ducks,  blue  jackets  with 
brass  buttons,  striped  shirts,  pumps,  and  straw  hats, 
landed  at  the  appointed  hour,  and  in  hearty  good  hu 
mor,  swaggered  towards  the  men's  house  ;  where  they 


206  UXGAVA. 

<• 

were  politely  received  by  the  quiet,  manly-looking  voy- 
ageurs,  who,  in  honor  of  the  occasion,  had  put  on  their 
best  capotes,  their  brightest  belts,  their  gayest  garters, 
and  most  highly  ornamented  moccasons.  The  French 
Canadians  and  half-breeds  bowed,  shook  hands,  and  ad 
dressed  the  tars  as  messieurs.  The  sailors  laughed, 
slapped  their  entertainers  on  the  shoulders,  and  called 
them  messmates.  The  Indians  stood,  grave  and  silent, 
but  with  looks  of  good-humor,  in  the  background  ;  while 
the  Esquimaux  raised  their  fat  cheeks,  totally  shut  up 
their  eyes,  and  grinned  perpetually,  not  to  say  horribly, 
from  ear  to  ear.  But  the  babel  that  followed  is  be 
yond  the  powers  of  description ;  therefore  we  won't  at 
tempt  it. 

Here,  however,  the  characteristic  peculiarity  of  our 
scene  ceases.  The  actual  demolition  of  food  is  pretty 
much  the  same  among  all  nations  that  are  not  absolutely 
savage ;  and,  however  much  contrast  might  have  been 
observed  in  the  strange  mixture  of  human  beings  as 
sembled  under  the  hospitable  roof  of  Fort  Chimo,  there 
was  none  whatever  in  the  manner  in  which  they  de 
molished  their  viands.  As  the  evening  advanced,  a 
message  was  sent  to  Monsieur  Stanley  for  the  loan  of 
his  violin. 

"  Ay,"  said  he,  as  the  instrument  was  delivered  to  Bry 
an,  who  happened  to  be  the  messenger  and  also  the  per 
former,  "  Ay,  I  thought  it  would  come  to  that  ere  long. 
Don't  be  too  hard  on  the  strings,  lad.  'Twill  be  a  rough 
ball  where  there  are  no  women." 

"  Thrue,  yer  honor,"  replied  the  blacksmith,  as  he  re 
ceived  the  instrument,  "  there's  a  great  want  of  faymales 
in  thim  parts;  but  the  sailors  have  consinted  to  ripresint 
the  party  craytures  on  the  present  occasion  ;  which  is 


UXGAVA.  207 

but  right,  for,  ye  see,  the  most  o'  thim's  shorter  nor  us, 
an'  their  wide  breeches  are  more  like  the  pitticoats  than 
our  leggins." 

Many  were  the  stories  that  were  told  and  retold,  be 
lieved,  disbelieved,  and  doubted,  on  that  memorable  night ; 
and  loud  were  the  songs,  and  long  and  strong  the  dancing 
that  followed.  But  it  was  all  achieved  under  the  influ 
ence  of  pure  animal  spirits,  for  the  rum  supplied  afforded 
but  a  thimbleful  to  each.  The  consequence  was  that  there 
were  no  headaches  the  following  morning,  and  the  men 
Avere  up  by  break  of  day  as  fresh  and  light  as  larks.  A 
feeling  of  sadness,  however,  gradually  crept  over  the 
band  as  the  dawn  advanced  and  the  schooner  prepared 
for  her  departure. 

By  six  o'clock  the  flood-tide  turned,  and  a  few  minutes 
later  all  the  sailors  Avere  aboard,  hoisting  the  sails  and 
anchor,  while  the  men  stood  silently  on  the  beach  Avhere 
they  had  just  parted  from  their  guests. 

"  Good-bye  once  more,  Mr.  Stanley ;  good-bye,  Mr. 
Morton,"  said  the  captain,  as  he  stepped  into  his  boat ;  "  I 
Avish  you  a  pleasant  Avinter  and  a  good  trade." 

"  Thank  you,  thank  you,  captain,"  replied  Stanley  ; 
"  and  don't  forget  us  out  here,  in  this  lonely  place,  Avhen 
you  drink  the  health  of  absent  friends  at  Christmas 
time." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  anchor  Avas  up,  and  the  schooner, 
bending  round  Avith  a  fair  Avind  and  tide,  made  for  the 
narrows. 

"  Give  them  a  cheer,  lads,"  said  Frank. 

Obedient  to  the  command,  the  men  doffed  their  caps 
and  raised  their  voices ;  but  there  Avas  little  vigor  in  the 
cheer.  It  was  replied  to  from  the  schooner's  deck.  Just 


208  UXGAVA. 

as  the  flying-jib  passed  the  point  a  gun  was  fired,  which 
once  more  awakened  the  loud  echoes  of  the  place.  When 
the  smoke  cleared  away,  the  schooner  was  gone. 

Thus  was  severed  the  last  link  that  bound  the  civilized 
world  to  the  inhabitants  of  Fort  Chiino. 


UNGAVA.  209 


CHAPTER  XX. 

WINTER  APPROACHES— ESQUIMAUX    ARRIVE— EFFECT  OF  A  WORD 
—A    SUCKING  BABY— PROSPECTS   OF    TRADE. 

FOR  many  days  after  the  ship's  departure,  the  work 
of  completing  the  fort  went  forward  with  the  ut 
most  rapidity,  and  not  until  the  houses  and  stores  were 
rendered  weather-tight  and  warm  did  Stanley  consider  it 
advisable  to  send  out  hunting  and  fishing  parties  into  the 
mountains.  Now,  however,  the  frosts  continued  a  great 
part  of  the  day  as  well  as  during  the  night,  so  it  was 
high  time  to  kill  deer  and  fish  in  order  to  freeze,  and  so 
preserve  them  for  winter's  consumption. 

Up  to  this  time  no  further  traces  of  Esquimaux  had 
been  discovered,  and  Stanley  began  to  express  his  fears 
to  Frank  that  they  had  left  the  neighborhood  altogether, 
in  consequence  of  the  repeated  attacks  made  upon  them 
by  Indians.  Soon  after  this,  however,  the  fur  traders 
were  surprised  by  a  sudden  visit  from  a  party  of  these 
denizens  of  the  north. 

It  happened  on  the  afternoon  of  a  beautiful  day  to 
wards  the  close  of  autumn,  that  charming  but  brief  sea 
son  which,  in  consequence  of  its  unbroken  serenity,  has 
been  styled  the  Indian  summer.  The  men  had  all  been- 
despatched  into  the  mountains  in  various  directions ; 
some  to  fish,  others  to  shoot;  and  none  were  left  at  the 
fort  except  its  commandant  with  his  wife  and  child,  and 
Oolibuck  the  Esquimaux.  Stanley  was  seated  on  a 
stone  at  the  margin  of  the  bay,  admiring  the  vivid  altera-- 

14 


210  UNGAVA. 

tions  of  light  and  shade,  as  the  sun  dipped  behind  the 
mountains  of  the  opposite  shore,  when  his  eye  was  at 
tracted  towards  one  or  two  objects  on  the  water  near  the 
narrows.  Presently  they  advanced,  and  were  followed 
by  several  others.  In  a  few  minutes  he  perceived  that 
they  were  Esquimaux  canoes. 

Jumping  hastily  up,  Stanley  ran  to  the  fort,  and  bid 
ding  his  wife  and  child  keep  out  of  sight,  put  two  pair  of 
pistols  in  his  pockets  and  returned  to  the  beach,  where 
•he  found  Oolibuck  gazing  at  the  approaching  flotilla  with 
intense  eagerness. 

"  Well,  Oolibuck,  here  come  your  countrymen  at  last," 
said  Stanley.  "  Do  they  look  friendly,  think  you  ?  " 

"  Me  no  can  tell ;  they  most  too  quiet,"  replied  the  in 
terpreter. 

Esquimaux  in  general  are  extremely  noisy  and  full  of 
animated  gesticulation  on  meeting  with  strangers,  espe 
cially  when  they  meet  on  decidedly  friendly  terms.  The 
silence,  therefore,  maintained  by  the  natives  as  they  ad 
vanced,  was  looked  upon  as  a  bad  sign.  The  fleet  con 
sisted  of  nine  kayaks,  and  three  large  oomiaks  full  of 
women  and  children  ;  and  a  curious  appearance  they 
presented  at  a  distance,  for  the  low  kayaks  of  the  men 
being  almost  invisible,  it  seemed  as  if  their  occupants 
were  actually  seated  on  the  water.  The  oomiaks,  being 
much  higher,  were  clearly  visible.  On  coming  to  within 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  fort,  the  men  halted  to  allow 
the  women  to  come  up,  then,  forming  in  a  crescent  in 
front  of  the  oomiaks,  the  whole  flotilla  advanced  slowly 
towards  the  beach.  When  within  a  hundred  yards  or  so, 
Stanley  said,  "  Now,  Oolibuck,  give  them  a  hail." 

"  Chimo  !  Chimo  !  Chimo-o-o  !  "  shouted  the  inter 
preter. 


UNGAVA.  211 

The  word  acted  like  a  talisman. 

"  Chimo ! "  yelled  the  Esquimaux  in  reply,  and  the 
kayaks  shot  like  arrows  upon  the  sand,  while  the  women 
followed  as  fast  as  they  could.  In  another  minute  a  loud 
chattering  and  a  brisk  shaking  of  hands  was  taking  place 
on  shore. 

The  natives  were  dressed  in  the  seal-skin  garments 
with  which  arctic  travellers  have  made  us  all  more  or 
less  acquainted.  They  were  stout  burly  fellows,  with 
fat,  oily,  and  bearded  faces. 

"  Now  tell  them,  Oolibuck,  the  reason  of  our  coming 
here,"  said  Stanley. 

Oolibuck  instantly  began,  by  explaining  to  them  that 
they  had  come  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  about  peace 
and  friendship  between  them  and  the  Indians  ;  on  hear 
ing  which  the  Esquimaux  danced  and  shouted  for  nearly 
a  minute  with  joy.  But  when  the  interpreter  went  on  to 
say  that  they  intended  to  remain  altogether  among  them, 
for  the  purpose  of  trading,  their  delight  knew  no  bounds ; 
they  danced  and  jumped,  and  whooped  and  yelled,  tossed 
up  their  arms  and  legs,  and  lay  down  on  the  sand  and 
rolled  in  ecstasy.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  Mrs.  Stanley 
rushed  out  of  the  house,  followed  by  Edith,  in  great  ter 
ror  at  the  unearthly  sounds  that  had  reached  her  ears ; 
but  on  seeing  her  husband  and  Oolibuck  laughing  in  the 
midst  of  the  grotesque  group,  her  fears  vanished,  and 
she  stood  an  amused  spectator  of  the  scene. 

Meanwhile,  Stanley  went  down  and  stept  into  the 
midst  of  one  of  the  oomiaks,  with  a  few  beads  and 
trinkets  in  his  hands  ;  and  while  Oolibuck  entertained 
the  men  on  shore,  he  presented  gifts  to  the  women,  who 
received  them  with  the  most  childish  demonstrations  of 
joy.  There  was  something  irresistibly  comic  in  the  child- 


212  UNGAVA. 

like  simplicity  of  these  poor  natives.  Instead  of  the  stiff 
reserve  and  haughty  demeanor  of  their  Indian  neighbors, 
they  danced  and  sang,  and  leaped  and  roared,  embraced 
each  other  and  wept,  with  the  most  reckless  indifference 
to  appearances,  and  seemed  upon  all  occasions  to  give 
instant  vent  to  the  feeling  that  happened  to  be  uppermost 
in  their  minds.  As  Stanley  continued  to  distribute  his 
gifts,  the  women  crowded  out  of  the  other  oomiaks  into 
the  one  in  which  he  stood,  until  they  nearly  sank  it ; 
some  of  them  extending  their  arms  for  beads,  others  giv 
ing  a  jolt  to  the  hoods  on  their  backs,  which  had  the 
effect  of  bringing  to  light  fat,  greasy-faced  little  babies, 
who  were  pointed  to  as  being  peculiarly  worthy  of  at 
tention. 

At  length  Stanley  broke  from  them  and  leapt  ashore, 
where  he  was  soon  followed  by  the  entire  band.  But 
here  new  objects — namely,  Mrs.  Stanley  and  Edith — 
attracted  their  wondering  attention.  Approaching  tow 
ards  the  former,  they  began  timidly  to  examine  her  dress, 
which  was  indeed  very  different  from  theirs,  and  calcu 
lated  to  awaken  curiosity  and  surprise.  The  Esquimaux 
women  were  dressed  very  much  like  the  men, — namely, 
in  long  shirts  of  seal-skin  or  deer-skin  with  the  hair  on, 
short  breeches  of  the  same  material,  and  long  seal-skin 
boots.  The  hoods  of  the  women  were  larger  than  those 
of  the  men,  and  their  boots  much  more  capacious  ;  and 
while  the  latter  had  a  short  stump  of  a  tail  or  peak 
hanging  from  the  hinder  part  of  their  shirts,  the  women 
wore  their  tails  so  long  that  they  trailed  along  the  ground 
as  they  walked.  In  some  cases  these  tails  were  four 
and  six  inches  broad,  with  a  round  flap  at  the  end,  and 
fringed  with  ermine.  It  was,  therefore,  with  no  little 
surprise  that  they  found  Mrs.  Stanley  entirely  destitute 


UNGAVA.  213 

of  a  tail,  and  observed  that  she  wore  her  upper  garment 
so  long  that  it  reached  the  ground.  Becoming  gradually 
more  familiar,  on  seeing  that  the  strange  woman  per 
mitted  them  to  handle  her  pretty  freely,  one  of  them 
gently  lifted  up  her  gown  to  see  whether  or  not  she  wore 
boots  ;  but  receiving  a  somewhat  prompt  repulse,  she 
began  to  caress  her,  and  assured  her  that  she  did  not 
mean  to  give  offence. 

By  this  time,  Frank  and  some  of  the  'men  had  joined 
the  group  on  the  shore,  and  as  it  was  getting  late  Stan 
ley  commanded  silence. 

"  Tell  them  I  have  somewhat  to  say  to  them,  Ooli- 
buck." 

The  interpreter's  remark  instantly  produced  a  dead 
silence. 

"  Xow  ask  them  if  they  are  glad  to  hear  that  we  are 
going  to  stay  to  trade  with  them." 

A  vociferous  jabbering  followed  the  question,  which, 
by  Oolibuck's  interpretation,  meant  that  their  joy  was 
utterly  inexpressible. 

"  Have  they  been  long  on  the  coast  ?  " 

"  No ;  they  had  just  arrived,  and  were  on  their  way 
up  the  river  to  obtain  wood  for  building  their  kayaks." 

"  Did  they  see  the  bundle  of  presents  we  left  for  them 
at  the  coast  ?  " 

"  Yes,  they  had  seen  it ;  but  not  knowing  whom  it  was 
intended  for,  they  had  not  touched  it." 

On  being  told  that  the  presents  were  intended  for 
them,  the  poor  creatures  put  on  a  look  of  intense  cha 
grin  ;  which,  however,  passed  away  when  it  was  sug 
gested  to  them  that  they  might  take  the  gifts  on  their  re 
turn  to  the  coast. 


214  UNO  A  V  A. 

"  And  now,"  said  Stanley,  in  conclusion,  "  'tis  getting 
late.  Go  down  to  the  point  below  the  fort  and  encamp 
there  for  the  night.  We  thank  you  for  your  visit,  and 
will  retui'n  it  in  the  morning.  Good  night." 

On  this  being  translated,  the  Esquimaux  gave  a  gen 
eral  yell  of  assent,  and  immediately  retired,  bounding, 
and  shouting  and  leaping  as  they  went,  looking  in  their 
gleesome  rotundity,  like  the  infant  progeny  of  a  race  of 
giants. 

"  I  like  the  look  of  these  men  very  much,"  said  Stan 
ley,  as  he  walked  up  to  the  house  with  Frank.  "  Their 
genuine  trustfulness  is  a  fine  trait  in  their  character." 

"  No  doubt  of  it,"  replied  Frank.  "  There  is  much 
truth  in  the  pro'verb,  '  Evil  dreaders  are  evil  doers.' 
Those  who  fear  no  evil  intend  none.  Had  they  been 
Indians,  now,  we  should  have  had  more  trouble  with 
them." 

"  I  doubt  it  not,  Frank.  You  would  have  been 
pleased  to  witness  the  prompt  alacrity  with  which  the 
poor  creatures  answered  to  our  cry  of  Chimo,  and  ran 
their  kayaks  fearlessly  ashore,  although,  for  all  they 
knew  to  the  contrary,  the  rocks  might  have  concealed  a 
hundred  enemies." 

"  And  yet,"  said  Frank,  with  an  air  of  perplexity, 
"  the  Esquimaux  character  seems  to  me  a  difficult  pro 
blem  to  solve.  When  we  read  the  works  of  arctic  voy 
agers,  we  find  that  one  man's  experience  of  the  Esqui 
maux  proves  them  to  be  inveterate  thieves  and  liars, 
while  another  speaks  of  them  as  an  honest,  truthful  peo 
ple,  and  that,  too,  being  said  of  the  same  tribe.  Nay, 
further ;  I  have  read  of  a  tribe  being  all  that  is  good 
and  amiable  at  one  time,  and  all  that  is  bad  and  vile  at 
another.  Now,  the  conduct  of  these  good-natured  fel- 


UNGAVA.  215 

lows,  in  reference  to  the  bundle  of  trinkets  we  left  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  indicates  a  degree  of  honesty 
that  is  almost  too  sensitive ;  for  the  merest  exertion  of 
common  sense  would  show  that  a  bundle  hung  up  in  an 
exposed  place  to  public  view  must  be  for  the  public 
good." 

"  Nevertheless  they  seem  both  honest  and  friendly," 
returned  Stanley,  "  and  I  trust  that  our  experience  of 
them  may  never  change.  To-morrow  I  shall  give  them 
some  good  advice  in  regard  to  procuring  furs,  and  show 
them  the  wealth  of  our  trading  store." 

When  the  morrow  came  the  visit  of  the  Esquimaux 
was  returned  by  the  entire  force  of  Fort  Chimo ;  and 
the  childish  delight  with  which  they  were  received  was 
most  amusing.  This  childishness,  however,  was  only 
applicable  to  these  natives  when  expressing  their  strong 
feelings.  In  other  respects,  particularly  in  their  physi 
cal  actions,  they  were  most  manly ;  and  the  thick  black 
beards  and  mustache  that  clothed  the  chins  of  most  of 
the  men  seemed  very  much  the  reverse  of  infantine. 
The  children  were  so  exactly  like  to  their  parents  in  cos 
tume,  that  they  seemed  miniature  representations  of 
them.  In  fact,  were  a  child  viewed  through  a  magnify 
ing  glass  it  would  become  a  man,  and  were  a  man 
viewed  through  a  diminishing  glass  he  would  become  a 
child ;  always,  of  course,  excepting  the  beard. 

Bryan  became  a  special  favorite  with  the  natives 
when  it  was  discovered  that  he  was  a  worker  in  iron ; 
and  the  presents  with  which  he  was  overwhelmed  were 
of  a  most  extraordinary,  and,  in  some  cases,  perplexing 
nature.  One  man,  who  seemed  determined  to  get  into 
his  good  graces,  offered  him  a  choice  morsel  of  broiled 
seal. 


216  UNGAVA. 

"  No,  thankee,  lad,"  said  Bryan ;  "  I've  had  my  brick- 
fast." 

Supposing  that  the  broiling  had  something  to  do  with 
the  blacksmith's  objection,  the  Esquimaux  hastily  cut  off 
a  slice  of  the  raw  blubber,  and  tendered  it  to  him. 

"  D'ye  think  I'm  a  haythen  ? "  said  Bryan,  turning 
away  in  disgust. 

"  Ah,  try  it,  Bryan,"  cried  La  Roche,  turning  from  an 
Esquimaux  baby,  in  the  contemplation  of  which  he  had 
been  absorbed  ;  "  try  it ;  'tis  ver'  goot,  I  'sure  you.  Ver' 
goot  for  your  complaint,  Bryan.  But  come  here,  vite- 
ment.  Just  regardez  dat  hinfant.  Come  here,  queek !  " 

Thus  urged,  Bryan  broke  away  from  his  host,  who 
had  just  split  open  the  shin-bone  of  a  deer,  and  offered 
him  the  raw  marrow,  but  without  success ;  and,  going 
towards  La  Roche,  regarded  the  baby  in  question.  It 
was  a  remarkably  fine  child,  seemingly  about  ten  months 
old,  with  a  round,  rosy,  oily  face,  coal-black  hair,  and 
large,  round,  coal-black  eyes,  with  which  it  returned  the 
stare  of  the  two  men  with  interest.  But  that  which 
amused  the  visitors  most  was  a  lump  of  fat  or  blubber, 
with  a  skewer  thrust  through  it,  which  its  mother  had 
given  to  the  child  to  suck,  and  which  it  was  endeavoring 
to  thrust  down  its  throat  with  both  hands. 

"  Come  here,  Oolibuck ;  pour  quoi  is  de  stick?  " 

"  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  !  "  laughed  Oolibuck.  "  Dat  is  for  keep 
de  chile  quiet ;  and  de  stick  is  for  no  let  him  choke ;  him 
no  can  swallow  de  stick." 

"Musha!  but  it  would  stick  av  he  did  swallow  it," 
said  Bryan,  turning  away  with  a  laugh. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  Stanley  and  Frank  conducted 
the  natives  to  the  fort ;  and,  having  given  them  all  an 
excellent  dinner,  and  a  few  gifts  of  needles,  scissors,  and 


UXGAVA.  217 

knives,  led  them  to  the  store,  where  the  goods  for  trade 
were  ranged  temptingly  on  shelves  round  the  walls.  A 
counter  encompassed  a  space  around  the  entrance-door, 
within  which  the  natives  stood  and  gazed  on  wealth 
which  to  their  unsophisticated  minds,  seemed  a  dream  of 
enchantment. 

Having  given  them  time  to  imbibe  a  conception  of  the 
room  and  its  treasures,  Stanley  addressed  them  through 
the  interpreter ;  but  as  reference  to  this  worthy  individ 
ual  is  somewhat  hampering,  we  will  discard  him  forth 
with, — retaining  his  style  and  language,  however,  for  the 
benefit  of  his  fellow-countrymen. 

"  Now,  you  see  what  useful  things  I  have  got  here  for 
you  ;  but  I  cannot  give  them  to  you  for  nothing.  They 
cost  us  much,  and  gave  us  much  trouble  to  bring  them 
here.  But  I  will  give  them  for  skins,  and  furs,  and  oil, 
and  the  tusks  of  the  walrus  ;  and  when  you  go  to  your 
friends  on  the  sea-coast,  you  can  tell  them  to  bring  skins 
with  them  when  they  come." 

"  Ve  vill  do  vat  you  vish.  Ve  most  happy  you  come. 
Ye  vill  hunt  very  mush,  and  make  your  house  empty  of 
all  dese  tings  if  ve  can." 

"  That's  well.  And  now  I  am  in  need  of  boots  for  my 
men,  and  you  have  a  good  many,  I  see  ;  so,  if  you  can 
spare  some  of  these,  we  will  begin  to  trade  at  once." 

On  hearing  this,  the  natives  despatched  several  of 
their  number  down  to  the  camp,  who  soon  returned  laden 
with  boots.  These  boots  are  most  useful  articles.  They 
are  neatly  made  of  seal-skin,  the  feet  or  soles  being  of 
walrus  hide  and  perfectly  water-proof.  They  are  inval 
uable  to  those  who  have  to  walk  much  in  ice-cold  water 
or  among  moist  snow,  as  is  the  case  in  those  regions 
during  spring  and  autumn.  In  winter  the  frost  com- 


218  UNGAVA. 

pletely  does  away  with  all  moisture,  so  that  the  Indian 
moccason  is  better  at  that  season  than  the  Esquimaux 
boot. 

For  these  boots,  and  a  few  articles  of  native  clothing, 
Stanley  paid  the  natives  at  the  rates  of  the  regular  tariff 
throughout  the  country  ;  and  this  rate  was  so  much  be 
yond  the  poor  Esquimaux  estimate  of  the  relative  value 
of  boots  and  goods,  that  they  would  gladly  have  given  all 
the  boots  and  coats  they  possessed  for  what  they  received 
as  the  value  of  one  pair. 

Overjoyed  at  their  good  fortune,  and  laden  with  treas 
ure,  they  returned  to  their  camp  to  feast,  and  to  .sing 
the  praises  of  the  KuUunat,  as  they  termed  the  fur 
traders. 


UXGAVA.  219 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SILENT   CONVERSATION— RAW  FOOD— FEMALE   TAILS— A  TERRIBLE 
BATTLE  TERMINATED  BY  TIIE  INTERPOSITION  OF  A  GIANT. 

OF  all  the  people  at  Fort  Chimo,  no  one  was  more 
interested  in  the  Esquimaux  than  little  Edith.  She 
not  only  went  fearlessly  among  them,  and  bestowed  upon 
them  every  trinket  she  possessed,  but,  in  her  childlike 
desire  for  the  companionship  and  sympathy  of  human 
beings  of  her  oAvn  age  and  sex,  she  took  forcible  posses 
sion  of  two  little  girls  who  happened  to  be  cleaner,  and, 
therefore,  prettier  than  the  others,  and  led  them  away  to 
her  own  ravine,  where  she  introduced  them  to  her  favor 
ite  berries  and  to  her  dog  Chimo.  At  first  the  dog  did  not 
seem  to  relish  the  intrusion  of  these  new  favorites ;  but 
seeing  that  they  did  not  induce  his  mistress  to  caress  him 
less  than  before,  he  considerately  tolerated  them.  Besides, 
the  Esquimaux  had  brought  their  dogs  along  with  them  ; 
and  Chimo,  being  of  an  amicable  disposition,  had  entered 
into  social  fellowship  with  his  own  kind.  We  have  said 
that  Chimo  was  sagacious,  and  it  is  quite  possible  he  may 
have  felt  the  propriety  of  granting  to  Edith  that  liberty 
which  he  undoubtedly  claimed  for  himself. 

But  Edith's  intercourse  with  her  little  Esquimaux 
proteges  was  necessarily  confined  to  looks,  the  language 
of  the  eye  making  up  for  the  absence  of  that  of  the 
tongue.  There  were  many  things,  however,  in  which 
language  was  not  required  as  a  medium  of  communica- 


220  UNGAVA. 

tion  between  the  children.  When  the  berries  were  good, 
the  brightening  eyes  and  smacking  lips  spoke  a  language 
common  to  all  the  human  race.  So,  also,  when  the  ber 
ries  were  sour  or  bitter,  the  expression  of  their  faces  was 
peculiarly  emphatic.  The  joyous  shout,  too,  as  they  dis 
covered  a  new  scene  that  pleased  their  eyes,  while  they 
roved  hand  in  hand  through  the  ravines,  or  the  shrinking 
glance  of  fear,  as  they  found  themselves  unexpectedly  on 
the  edge  of  a  precipice,  were  sufficiently  intelligible  to 
the  trio.  The  little  friends  presented  a  striking  and  gro 
tesque  contrast.  It  would  have  been  difficult  to  say 
whether  the  little  Esquimaux  were  boys  or  girls.  If 
anything,  the  costume  seemed  more  to  indicate  the  for 
mer  than  the  latter.  Like  their  mothers,  they  wore  loose 
deer-skin  shirts  with  the  hair  on  outside  ;  which  gave 
them  a  round,  soft,  burly  appearance, — an  appearance 
which  was  increased  by  their  little  boots,  which  were 
outrageously  wide,  and  quite  as  long  as  their  legs.  The 
frocks  or  shirts  had  hoods  and  tails, — which  latter,  accord 
ing  to  fashion,  were  so  long  that  they  trailed  on  the 
ground.  The  inconvenience  of  the  tail  is  so  great  that 
the  women,  while  travelling  on  a  journey,  get  rid  of  it  by 
drawing  it  between  their  legs,  and,  lifting  up  the  end, 
fastening  it  in  front  to  a  button  sewed  to  their  frock  for 
the  purpose.  In  travelling,  therefore,  Esquimaux  women 
seem  to  be  destitute  of  this  appendage  ;  but  on  arriving 
at  camp,  they  undo  the  fastening,  and  walk  about  with 
flowing  tails  behind  them. 

Edith's  costume  consisted  of  a  short  frock  made  of 
dark  blue  cloth,  and  a  headdress  peculiar  to  the  Indian 
women  among  the  Crees.  It  was  preferred  by  the  little 
wearer  to  all  other  styles  of  bonnet,  on  account  of  the 
ease  with  which  it  could  be  thrown  off  and  on.  She  also 


UNGAVA.  221 

wore  ornamented  leggins  and  moccasons.  Altogether, 
with  her  graceful  figure,  flaxen  curls,  and  picturesque 
costume,  she  presented  a  strong  contrast  to  the  fat,  dark, 
hairy  little  creatures  who  followed  her  by  brook  and 
bush  and  precipice  the  livelong  day. 

One  morning,  about  two  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  the 
Esquimaux,  Edith  went  down  to  the  camp  after  break 
fast,  and  found  her  two  companions  engaged  in  conclud 
ing  their  morning  meal.  The  elder,  whose  name  was 
Arualooa,  was  peering  with  earnest  scrutiny  into  the 
depths  of  a  marrow-bone,  from  which  she  had  already 
extracted  a  large  proportion  of  the  raw  material.  The 
younger,  Okatook,  seized  a  lump  of  raw  seal's  flesh,  as 
Edith  entered  their  hut,  and,  cutting  therefrom  a  savory 
morsel,  put  it  into  her  mouth  as  she  rose  to  welcome  her 
visitor. 

"  Oh  !  how  can  you  ?  "  said  Edith,  with  a  look  of  dis 
gust  at  this  ravenous  conduct  on  the  part  of  her  friend. 
But  Edith  had  said,  «  Oh  !  how  can  you  ?  "  and  «  Oh  ! 
shocking,"  and  "  Oh !  why  don't  you  give  up  eating  it  raw  ?  " 
and  "  Oh !  why  ivon't  you  have  it  cooked,"  nearly  every 
day  for  the  last  two  weeks,  without  producing  any  other 
effect  than  a  gleeful  laugh  from  the  little  Esquimaux  ;  for, 
although  they  did  not  comprehend  her  words,  they  clearly 
understood  her  looks  of  disapproval.  But  although  they 
would  not  give  up  the  habit  of  eating  raw  flesh,  which  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  from  their  infancy,  they  were  pre 
vailed  on  so  far  to  break  through  the  habits  of  their  peo 
ple  as  to  wash  their  hands  and  faces  before  going  out  to 
play.  This  they  did  because  Edith  positively  refused  to 
go  with  them  unless  they  did  so. 

Lifting  up  the  end  of  her  tail  and  wiping  her  mouth 
therewith,  Arnalooa  smiled  at  Edith's  look  of  reproach, 


222  UNGAVA. 

and  ran  laughing  towards  the  shore,  where  she  and  Oka- 
took  washed  their  hands,  after  which  they  followed  Edith 
and  Chimo  to  their  favorite  ravine.  Although  she  knew 
that  they  did  not  understand  a  word  of  what  she  said, 
Edith  invariably  kept  up  a  running  fire  of  small  talk,  in 
reference,  chiefly,  to  the  objects  of  nature  by  which  they 
were  surrounded.  To  this  the  little  hairy  creatures  lis 
tened  intently  with  smiling  faces,  and  sometimes  they 
laughed  prodigiously,  as  though  they  understood  what 
was  said,  so  that  their  companion  felt  as  if  she  were 
really  conversing  with  them,  although  she  was  sadly 
perplexed  at  the  utter  impossibility  of  obtaining  an  in 
telligible  reply  to  a  question  when  she  chanced  to  put 
one. 

"  Oh,  what  a  lovely  glen  ! "  cried  Edith,  her  eyes 
beaming  with  delight,  as,  on  turning  the  point  of  a  pro 
jecting  crag,  she  and  her  companions  found  themselves 
in  a  spot  which  they  had  not  before  seen  during  their 
rambles.  It  was  a  wild,  savage  gorge,  full  of  fallen  rocks, 
hemmed  in  with  high  cliffs,  fringed  here  and  there  with 
willows  and  mosses,  among  which  were  a  few  brilliant 
wild  flowers.  The  lights  and  shadows  of  the  spot  were 
thrown  into  powerful  contrast  by  a  gleam  of  sunshine 
which  flashed  down  among  the  rugged  masses,  lighting 
up  peaks  and  sharp  edges  in  some  spots,  while  in  others 
they  were  thrown  into  the  profoundest  gloom. 

"  Oh  !  is  it  not  a  delightful  place  ? "  cried  Edith,  as 
she  bounded  up  the  rugged  path,  followed  by  Chimo, 
while  the  two  Esquimaux  girls  buttoned  up  their  tails, 
and  followed  her  as  fast  as  their  more  cumbrous  habili 
ments  would  permit. 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  party  toiled  up  the  steep 
ascent,  pausing  now  and  then  to  pluck  a  flower,  or  to 


UNGAVA.  223 

look  back  on  the  wild  path  by  which  they  had  come,  until 
they  reached  a  ridge  of  rock,  beyond  which  lay  a  small 
lake  or  pool.  So  dark  and  still  did  it  lie  within  the 
shadow  of  the  overhanging  cliffs,  that  it  resembled  a  pool 
of  ink.  Here  the  adventurous  explorers  sat  down  to  re 
cover  breath,  and  to  gaze  in  childish  delight,  not  unmixed 
with  awe,  at  the  wild  scene  around  them. 

The  peculiar  wildness  of  the  spot  seemed  to  exercise 
an  unusual  influence  over  the  dog ;  for,  instead  of  lying 
down,  as  it  was  wont  to  do,  at  the  feet  of  its  young  mis 
tress,  it  moved  about  uneasily,  and  once  or  twice  uttered 
a  low  growl. 

"  Come  here,  Chimo,"  said  Edith,  when  these  symptoms 
of  restlessness  had  attracted  her  attention  ;  "  what  is  the 
matter  with  you,  my  dear  dog  ?  Surely  you  are  not 
frightened  at  the  appearance  of  this  wild  place !  Speak, 
dog, — see,  Arnalooa  is  laughing  at  you." 

Edith  might  have  said  with  more  propriety  that  Arna 
looa  was  laughing  at  herself;  for  the  little  Esquimaux 
was  much  amused  at  the  serious  manner  in  which  her 
Kublunat  friend  spoke  to  her  dog.  But  Chimo  refused 
to  be  comforted.  He  raised  his  snout,  snuffed  the  air 
once  or  twice,  and  then,  descending  the  gorge  a  short 
distance,  put  his  nose  close  to  the  ground  and  trotted 
away. 

"  That  is  very  odd  of  Chimo,"  said  Edith,  looking  into 
Arnalooa's  face  with  an  expression  of  perplexity. 

As  she  spoke  Okatook  pointed,  with  an  eager  glance, 
up  the  ravine.  Turning  her  eyes  hastily  in  the  direction 
indicated,  Edith  beheld  a  deer  bounding  towards  them. 
It  was  closely  followed  by  a  savage  wolf.  The  deer 
seemed  to  be  in  the  last  stage  of  exhaustion.  Its  flanks 
were  wet  with  moisture,  its  eyes  starting  from  their 


224  UNGAVA. 

sockets,  and  its  breath  issued  forth  in  deep  sobs,  as  it 
bounded  onwards,  seemingly  more  by  the  force  of  its  im 
petus  than  by  any  voluntary  exertion.  More  intent  on  the 
danger  behind  than  on  that  which  lay  before  it,  the 
deer  made  straight  for  the  pass  in  which  the  three  girls 
stood,  and  scarcely  had  they  time  to  spring  up  the  sides 
of  the  cliff,  when  it  swept  by  like  an  arrow.  Instantly 
after,  and  ere  it  had  taken  two  bounds  past  them,  the 
wolf  sprang  forward,  caught  it  by  the  throat,  and  drag 
ged  it  to  the  ground,  where,  in  a  few  seconds,  it  worried 
the  noble  animal  to  death.  It  is  probable  that  the 
chase  now  terminated  had  begun  at  early  dawn  that 
day ;  for,  deer  being  fleeter  than  wolves,  they  prolong 
the  chase  until  overcome  by  the  superior  strength  and 
dogged  perseverance  of  their  ravenous  enemies.  Over 
mountain  and  hill  they  had  bounded  along  together, 
through  glen  and  gorge,  across  river  and  lake  ;  burst 
ing  headlong  through  bush  and  brake,  or  under  the 
shadow  of  frowning  cliffs,  and  toiling,  at  a  foot  pace  and 
with  panting  sides,  up  the  steep  hills  in  the  fierce  blaze 
of  the  sun, — the  one  impelled  by  hunger,  the  other  by 
fear,  until  at  length  the  scene  closed  in  the  wild  pass, 
almost  at  the  feet  of  the  three  children. 

But  retribution  was  in  store  for  the  savage  destroyer. 
Ere  yet  the  life's  blood  had  ceased  to  flow  from  the  throat 
of  the  dying  deer,  and  while  the  wolf's  fangs  were  still 
dripping  with  its  gore,  a  fierce  bark,  followed  by  a  ter 
rific  growl,  rang  among  the  cliffs,  and  Chimo,  with  his 
ears  laid  back  and  his  formidable  row  of  teeth  exposed, 
rushed  up  the  gorge  and  seized  the  wolf  by  the  neck  ! 
Thus  assailed,  fche  wolf  returned  the  bite  with  interest, 
and  immediately  a  fight  of  the  most  energetic  character 
ensued. 


UXGAVA.  225 

The  wolf  was  much  larger  and  more  powerful  than 
Chimo,  but  was  greatly  exhausted  by  its  long  chase,  while 
the  dog  was  fresh  and  vigorous.  Once  or  twice  Chimo 
tossed  his  huge  adversary  by  main  strength,  but  as  often 
he  was  overturned  and  dreadfully  shaken,  while  the  long 
fangs  of  the  wolf  met  in  his  neck,  and  mingled  the  blood 
of  the  deer,  which  bespattered  his  black  muzzle,  with  the 
life's  blood  that  began  to  flow  copiously  from  Chimo's 
veins.  At  this  moment  a  shout  was  heard  farther  up  the 
ravine.  The  three  girls  turned  hastily,  and  saw,  on  a 
point  of  rock  which  projected  from  the  mountain  side 
and  overhung  the  dark  pool,  the  figure  of  a  man,  of 
such  immense  proportions  that  they  instinctively  shrank 
back  with  terror.  The  position  in  which  he  stood  made 
him  appear  larger  than  he  really  was.  The  scattered 
gleams  and  slant  rays  of  sunshine  that  played  around  the 
spot  invested  him  as  with  a  supernatural  halo,  while  a 
bright  glow  of  light  on  the  cliff  behind  detached  him 
prominently  from  the  surrounding  shadows.  He  poised 
a  spear  in  his  right  hand,  and,  while  Edith  gazed  at  him 
in  terror,  the  weapon  flew  whistling  through  the  air  and 
was  buried  in  the  side  of  the  wolf  !  But  so  close  did  the 
spear  pass,  that  Edith  involuntarily  stepped  back  as  she 
heard  it  whiz.  In  doing  so  she  lost  her  balance,  and 
fell  over  the  cliff.  Fortunately  Arnalooa  caught  her  by 
the  dress  and  partially  broke  her  fall ;  but  the  descent 
was  sufficiently  steep  and  rugged  to  render  the  child  in 
sensible. 

When  Edith  recovered  consciousness,  her  first  emotion 
was  that  of  terror,  on  beholding  a  large  dark-bearded 
face  bending  over  her ;  but  a  second  glance  showed  her 
that  the  eyes  of  the  stranger  gazed  upon  her  with  a  look 
of  tenderness,  and  that  Arnalooa  and  Okatook  were  kneel- 

15 


22  6  UXGAVA. 

ins  beside  her  with  an  expression  of  .anxiety.  Had  any 
thing  farther  been  wanting  to  allay  her  fears,  the  sight  of 
Chimo  would  have  done  it.  It  is  true  the  sturdy  dog 
panted  heavily,  and  occasionally  licked  his  wounds,  as  he 
sat  on  his  haunches  at  her  feet ;  but  he  was  wonderfully 
calm  and  collected  after  his  repent  mortal  conflict,  and  re 
garded  his  young  mistress  from  time  to  time  with  an  air 
of  patronizing  assurance. 

As  Edith  opened  her  eyes,  the  stranger  muttered  some 
unintelligible  words,  and,  rising  hastily,  went  to  a  neigh 
boring  spring,  at  which  he  filled  a  rude  cup  with  water. 
In  doing  this,  he  revealed  the  huge  proportions  of  the 
gigantic  Esquimaux  whom  we  introduced  to  our  reader  in 
a  former  chapter.  He  was  dressed  in  the  same  manner 
as  when  we  first  saw  him,  but  his  face  was  somewhat 
altered,  and  his  black  eyebrows  were  marked  by  that 
peculiar  curve  which  is  expressive  of  deep  melancholy. 
Returning  quickly  from  the  spring,  he  kneeled  beside  the 
little  girl,  and,  raising  her  head  on  his  broad  hand,  held 
the  goblet  to  her  lips. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Edith,  faintly,  as  she  swallowed  a 
few  drops  ;  "  I  think  I  had  better  go  home.  Is  Chimo 
safe?  Chimo!"  She  started  up  as  the  recollection  of 
the  fight  with  the  wolf  flashed  upon  her  ;  but  the  fall  had 
stunned  her  rather  severely  ;  and  scarcely  had  she  risen 
to  her  feet,  when  she  staggered  and  fell  back  into  the 
arms  of  the  Esquimaux. 

Seeing  that  she  was  quite  unable  to  walk,  he  raised  her 
in  his  powerful  arm  as  if  she  had  been  a  young  lamb. 
Catching  the  dead  wolf  by  the  neck  as  he  passed,  and 
springing  from  rock  to  rock  with  cat-like  agility,  lie  bore 
his  burden  down  the  ravine,  and  strode  towards  the  fort 
under  the  guidance  of  Okatook  and  Arnalooa. 


UXGAVA.  227 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

MAXIMUS— DEER    SPEARING— A    SURPRISINGLY  BAD    SHOT— CHAR 
ACTER    OF    TIIE    NATIVES. 

HALLO  !  what  have  we  here  ?  "  exclaimed  Stanley, 
starting  from  his  seat  in  amazement,  as  the  giant 
entered  the  hall  of  Fort  Chimo, — his  left  hand  grasping 
a  blood-stained  wolf  by  the  throat,  and  Edith  resting  in. 
his  right  arm. 

At  first  the  startled  father  imagined  his  child  must 
have  been  wounded,  if  not  killed,  by  the  savage  ani 
mal  ;  but  his  mind  was  immediately  relieved  on  this  point 
by  Edith  herself,  who  was  no  sooner  laid  on  her  bed  than 
she  recovered  sufficiently  to  narrate  the  circumstances 
attending  her  fall. 

"  Well,  Maximus,"  said  Stanley,  returning  to  the  hall 
and  applying  to  the  bulky  savage  the  term  that  seemed 
most  appropriate  to  him,  "  shake  hands  with  me,  my 
good  fellow.  You've  saved  Chimo's  life,  it  seems  ;  and 
that's  a  good  turn  I'll  not  forget.  But  a — ,  I  see  you 
don't  understand  a  word  I  say.  Hallo  !  Moses,  Moses  ! 
you  deaf  rascal,  come  here  !  "  he  shouted,  as  that  worthy 
passed  the  window. 

"  Yis,  mossue,"  said  Moses,  entering  the  hall.  "  Oh, 
me  !  what  a  walrus  amd  is  ?  Me  do  b'lieve  him  most 
high  as  a  tree  an'  more  broader  nor  iveryting !  " 

"  Hold  thy  tongue,  Moses,  and  ask  the  fellow  where 


228  UXGAVA. 

he  came  from ;  but  tell  him  first  that  I'm  obliged  to  him 
for  saving  Chimo  from  that  villanous  wolf." 

"While  Moses  interpreted,  Arnalooa  and  Okatook,  be 
ing  privileged  members  of  the  tribe,  crossed  over  to 
Edith's  room. 

"  Well,  what  says  he  ?  "  inquired  Stanley,  at  the  end 
of  a  long  address  which  the  giant  had  delivered  to 
Moses. 

"  Him  say,  he  heered  we  have  come  to  trade,  from 
Eskeemo  to  west'ard,  and  so  him  come  for  to  see  us." 

"  A  most  excellent  reason,"  said  Stanley.  "  Has  he 
brought  any  furs  ?  " 

"  Yis ;  him  brought  one  two  fox,  and  two  free  deer. 
No  have  much  furs  in  dis  country,  him  say." 

"  Sorry  to  hear  that.  Perhaps  his  opinion  may  change 
when  he  sees  the  inside  of  our  store.  But  I  would  like 
him  to  stay  about  the  fort  as  a  hunter,  Moses ;  he  seems 
a  firstrate  man.  Ask  him  if  he  will  consent  to  stay  for 
a  time." 

"  P'raps  he  fussrate,  p'raps  not,"  muttered  Moses,  in  a 
disparaging  tone,  as  he  turned  to  put  the  question. 

"  Him  say  yis." 

"  Very  good  ;  then  take  him  to  your  house,  Moses,  and 
give  him  some  food  and  a  pipe,  and  teach  him  English  as 
fast  as  you  can,  and  see  that  it  is  grammatical.  D'ye 
hear  ?  " 

"  Yis,  mossue,  me  quite  sure  for  to  teach  him  dat." 

As  Moses  turned  to  quit  the  hall,  Stanley  called  him 
back.  "  Ask  Maximus,  by-the-by,  if  he  knows  any 
thing  of  a  party  of  Esquimaux  who  seem  to  have  been 
attacked,  not  long  ago,  by  Indians  in  this  neighborhood." 

No  sooner  was  this  question  put  than  the  face  of  Max 
imus,  which  had  worn  a  placid,  smiling  expression  dur- 


UNGAVA.  229 

ing  the  foregoing  conversation,  totally  changed.  His 
brows  lowered,  and  his  lips  were  tightly  compressed,  as 
he  regarded  Stanley  for  a  few  moments  ere  he  ventured 
to  reply.  Then,  in  a  deep,  earnest  tone,  he  related  the 
attack,  the  slaughter  of  his  people,  their  subsequent 
escape,  and  the  loss  of  his  bride.  Even  Moses  was 
agitated  as  he  went  on,  and  showed  his  teeth  like  an  en 
raged  mastiff  when  the  Esquimaux  came  to  speak  of  his 
irreparable  loss. 

"Stay  one  moment,"  said  Stanley,  when  Maximus 
concluded.  "  I  have  something  to  show  you;"  and  has 
tening  into  his  room,  he  quickly  returned  with  the  little 
piece  of  seal-skin  that  had  been  found  at  the  deserted  In 
dian  camp.  "  Do  you  know  anything  of  this,  Maximus  ? 
Do  you  understand  these  marks?" 

The  Esquimaux  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  when  his 
eye  fell  on  the  piece  of  skin,  and  he  seemed  much 
agitated,  while  he  put  several  quick,  earnest  questions  to 
Moses,  who  replied  as  earnestly  and  quickly ;  then,  turn 
ing  rapidly  on  his  heel,  he  sprang  through  the  door-way, 
and  was  soon  lost  to  view  in  the  stunted  woods  of  the 
ravine  above  the  fort. 

"  That  fellow  seems  in  a  hurry,"  exclaimed  Frank 
Morton,  entering  the  room  just  as  the  savage  made  his 
exit.  "  Who  is  he,  and  wherefore  in  so  great  haste  ?  " 

"  As  to  who  he  is,"  answered  Stanley,  "  I'll  tell  you 
that  after  Moses  has  explained  the  cause  of  his  sudden 
flight." 

"  He  say  that  him's  wife  make  dat  skin,  and  de  ar 
row  on  him  skin  show  dat  de  Injuns  take  her  to  deir 
tents." 

"  But  did  you  not  tell  him  that  we  found  the  skin 
long  ago,  and  that  the  Indians  must  be  far  far  awav 


230  UXGAVA. 

by  this  time,  —  nobody  knows  where  ? "  demanded 
Frank. 

"Yis,  me  tell  him.  But  he  go  for  to  see  cle  spot. 
Tink  him  find  more  tings,  p'raps." 

"Oh,  messieurs,  voila!"  shouted  La  Roche,  point 
ing  towards  the  river,  as  he  rushed,  breathless  with 
haste,  into  the  hall;  "les  Esquimaux,  dem  kill  all  de 
deer  dans  le  kontry.  Oui,  voila !  dans  les  kayak.  Two 
dozen  at  vonce — vraiment !  "  Without  waiting  a  reply, 
the  excited  Frenchman  turned  round  and  rushed  out  of 
the  house,  followed  by  Stanley  and  Frank,  who  seized 
their  guns,  which  always  hung  ready  loaded  on  the  walls 
of  the  apartment. 

On  reaching  the  water's  edge,  the  scene  that  met  their 
eye  was  indeed  sufficient  to  account  for  the  excitement  of 
La  Roche.  A  herd  of  perhaps  fifty  or  sixty  deer,  on 
their  way  to  the  coast, — and  ignorant  of  the  foes  who 
had  so  recently  invaded  their  solitudes, — had  descended 
the  ravine  opposite  the  fort,  with  the  intention  of  cross 
ing  the  river.  The  Esquimaux  had  perceived  this ; 
and  keeping  themselves  and  their  kayaks  concealed  until 
the  most  of  the  animals  were  in  the  water,  and  the  leaders 
of  the  herd  more  than  two  thirds  over,  they  then  gave 
chase,  and,  getting  between  the  deer  and  the  opposite 
shore,  cut  off  their  retreat,  and  drove  them  towards  their 
encampment. 

Here  the  slaughter  commenced ;  and  Stanley  and 
Frank  arrived  at  the  scene  of  action  while  they  were 
in  the  midst  of  the  wholesale  destruction.  In  all  direc 
tions  the  kayaks,  with  their  solitary  occupants,  were  dart 
ing  about  hither  and  thither  like  arrows  in  the  midst  of 
the  affrighted  animals  ;  none  of  which,  however,  were 
speared  until  they  were  driven  quite  close  to  the  shore. 


rxGAVA.  231 

In  their  terror,  the  deer  endeavored  to  escape  by  swim 
ming  in  different  directions  ;  but  the  long  double-bladed 
paddles  of  the  Esquimaux  sent  the  light  kayaks  after 
them  like  lightning,  and  a  sharp  prick  on  their  flanks 
turned  them  in  the  right  direction.  There  were  so  many 
deer,  however,  that  a  few  succeeded  in  gaining  the  land ; 
but  here  the  guns  of  the  traders  awaited  them.  In  the 
midst  of  this  wild  scene,  Frank's  attention  was  arrested 
by  the  cool  proceedings  of  an  Esquimaux,  whose  name 
was  Chacooto.  He  had  several  times  exhibited  a  degree 
of  shrewdness  beyond  his  fellows,  during  his  residence 
near  the  fort,  and  was  evidently  a  man  of  importance 
in  the  tribe.  Chacooto  had  collected  together  a  band  of 
the  herd,  amounting  to  fifteen,  and,  by  dint  of  cool  decis 
ion  and  quick  movements,  had  driven  them  to  within  a 
few  yards  of  the  shore,  exactly  opposite  the  spot  whereon 
his  tent  stood.  One  young  buck,  of  about  two  years  old, 
darted  away  from  the  rest  more  than  once ;  but,  with  a 
sweep  of  the  paddle  and  a  prick  of  the  lance,  Chacooto 
turned  it  back  again,  while  a  quiet  sarcastic  smile  played 
on  his  countenance.  Having  driven  the  herd  close 
enough  in  for  his  purpose,  the  Esquimaux  ended  the 
career  of  the  refractory  buck  with  a  single  thrust  of  his 
lance,  and  then  proceeded  coolly  to  stab  them  all  one  after 
another. 

'•  Och,  the  spalpeen  !  "  said  a  voice  at  Frank's  ear. 
"  'Tis  himsilf  knows  how  to  do  it,  an'  no  mistake. 
Musha !  his  lance  goes  out  and  in  like  a  thailor's  needle  ; 
an'  he  niver  strikes  more  nor  wance,  the  haythen  ! " 

"  He  certainly  does  know  how  to  do  it,  Bryan,"  replied 
Frank ;  '•  and  it's  a  comfort  to  know  that  every  thrust 
kills  in  a  moment.  I  like  to  see  as  little  of  the  appear 
ance  of  cruelty  as  possible  in  work  of  this  kind." 


232  UXGAVA. 

"Arrah !  there's  wan  that'll  chate  'im,  anyhow,"  cried 
Bryan,  throwing  forward  his  gun  in  nervous  haste,  as 
one  of  the  deer  gained  the  land,  despite  Chacooto's  ra 
pidity,  and  bounded  towards  the  hills. 

Frank  smiled  at  the  eager  haste  of  his  companion,  who 
was  one  of  the  poor  shots  of  the  party,  and,  consequently, 
always  in  a  hurry.  "  Now,  Bryan,  there's  a  chance. 
Take  your  time.  Just  behind  the  shoulder ;  a  little  low, 
for  that  gun  kicks  horribly." 

''  Murder  and  blazes,  she  won't  go  off!  "  cried  the  ex 
asperated  Irishman,  as,  after  a  wavering  effort  to  take 
aim,  he  essayed  unsuccessfully  to  pull  the  trigger. 

"  Half-cock,  man  !   Cock  it !  "  said  Frank,  quickly. 

"  So  'tis,  be  the  mortial  !  Och  !  Bryan,  yer  too  cliver ; 
ye  are!  "  he  exclaimed,  rectifying  his  error  with  a  force 
that  nearly  tore  off  the  dog-head.  At  that  instant  there 
was  a  sharp  crack,  and  the  deer,  bounding  into  the  air, 
fell  dead  on  the  sand  at  the  edge  of  the  willows. 

"  Forgive  me,  Bryan,"  said  Massan,  chuckling  and 
reloading  his  piece  as  he  walked  up  to  his  comrade.  "  I 
would  not  ha'  taken't  out  o'  yer  teeth,  lad,  if  ye  had  been 
ready  ;  but  one  bound  more  would  ha'  put  the  beast  be 
yond  the  reach  o'  a  bullet." 

"  Faix,  Massan,  ye  desarve  to  be  hanged  for  murther. 
Shure  I  was  waitin'  till  the  poor  crayture  got  into  the 
bushes,  to  give  it  a  chance  o'  its  life,  before  I  fired. 
That's  the  way  that  gintlemen  from  the  ould  country 
does  when  we're  out  sportin'.  We  always  put  up  the 
birds  first,  and  fire  afterwards  ;  but  you  salvages  mur 
ther  a  poor  brute  on  the  sand,  whin  it's  only  two  fathoms 
from  ye.  Shame  on  ye,  Massan." 

"  See,  Massan,"  cried  Frank,  pointing  to  another  deer, 
which,  having  escaped  its  pursuers,  had  gained  the 


UNGAVA.  233 

heights  above.  "  That  fellow  is  beyond  us  both,  I  fear. 
Be  ready  when  it  comes  into  view  beyond  the  cliff 
there." 

But  Massan  did  not  move  ;  and  when  Frank  threw 
forward  his  gun,  he  felt  his  arm  arrested. 

"  Pardon  me,  monsieur,"  said  Massan,  respectfully ; 
"  there's  a  sure  bullet  about  to  start  for  that  deer." 

As  he  spoke,  he  pointed  to  Dick  Prince,  who,  ignorant 
of  the  fact  that  the  deer  had  been  seen  by  Frank,  was 
watching  its  reappearance  from  behind  a  neighboring 
rock,  at  some  distance  from  where  they  stood.  In  a 
second  it  came  into  view, — the  bullet  sped, — and  the 
deer  bounded  lightly  into  the  bushes,  evidently  unhurt ! 

It  is  difficult  to  say  whether  Dick  Prince  or  his  com 
rades  exhibited  most  amazement  in  their  looks  at  this 
result.  That  the  crack  shot  of  the  party — the  man  who 
could  hit  a  button  in  the  centre  at  a  hundred  yards,  and 
cut  the  head  off  a  partridge  at  a  hundred  and  fifty — • 
should  miss  a  deer  at  ninety  yards,  was  utterly  incom 
prehensible. 

"  Is  it  yer  own  gun  ye've  got  ?  "  inquired  Bryan,  as 
the  discomfited  mai-ksman  walked  up. 

"  No  ;  it's  yours,"  replied  Prince. 

A  smile,  which  resolved  itself  into  a  myriad  of  wrin 
kles,  flitted  over  the  blacksmith's  face,  as  he  said, — 

"Ah,  Prince  !  ye'll  requare  long  practice  to  come  to 
the  parfect  use  o'  that  wipon.  I've  always  fired  three 
yards,  at  laste,  to  the  left,  iver  since  we  fell  over  the 
hill  togither.  If  it's  a  very  long  shot,  it  requares  four 
to  take  the  baste  in  the  flank,  or  four  an'  a  half  if  ye 
want  to  hit  the  shoulder,  besides  an  allowance  o'  two 
feet  above  its  head,  to  make  up  for  the  twist  I  gave 
it  the  other  day  in  the  forge,  in  tryin'  to  put  it  right ! " 


234  UXGAVA. 

This  explanation  was  satisfactory  to  all  parties,  es 
pecially  so  to  Prince,  who  felt  that  his  credit  was  saved  ; 
and  if  Prince  had  a  weakness  at  all,  it  was  upon  this 
point. 

The  deer  were  now  all  killed,  with  the  exception  of 
those  of  the  band  that  had  been  last  in  entering  the 
river.  These,  with  a  few  stragglers,  had  returned  to 
the  shore  from  which  they  started.  The  remainder  of 
the  evening  was  devoted  to  skinning  and  cutting  up 
'  the  carcasses — an  operation  requiring  considerable  time, 
skill,  and  labor. 

"While  the  people  at  the  fort  were  thus  employed, 
Maximum  (who  adopted  at  once  the  name  given  to  him 
by  Stanley)  returned  from  his  fruitless  journey  to  the 
Indian  camp,  and  assisted  the  men  at  their  work.  He 
made  no  allusion  whatever  to  his  visit  to  the  deserted 
Indian  camp  ;  but,  from  the  settled  expression  of  deep 
sadness  that  clouded  his  countenance,  it  was  inferred 
that  what  he  had  seen  there  had  not  tended  to  raise 
his  hopes. 

The  supply  of  deer  obtained  at  this  time  was  very 
seasonable,  for  the  frost  had  now  begun  to  set  in  so 
steadily  that  the  meat  could  be  hung  up  to  free/e,  and 
thus  be  kept  fresh  for  winter's  consumption.  Some  of 
it,  however,  was  dried  and  stored  away  in  bales,  while 
a  small  quantity  was  pounded  after  being  dried,  made 
into  pemmican,  and  reserved  for  future  journeys. 

As  for  the  Esquimaux,  they  gave  themselves  up,  dur 
ing  the  first  night,  to  feasting  and  rejoicing.  During 
the  short  time  that  they  had  been  at  the  fort,  they  had 
converted  the  promontory  on  which  they  were  encamped 
into  a  scene  of  the  utmost  confusion  and  filth.  A  re 
gard  for  truth  constrains  us  to  say  that,  although  these 


UXGAVA.  235 

poor  creatures  turned  out  to  be  honest,  and  simple,  and 
kind-hearted,  they  did  not  by  any  means  turn  out  to  be 
cleanly.  Quite  the  reverse. 

They  had  erected  four  summer  tents"  on  the  beach, 
which  were  composed  of  skins  sewed  together,  and  sup 
ported  on  poles  in  such  a  way  as  to  afford  ample  room 
for  the  accommodation  of  their  families.  The  entrance 
to  each  tent  was  through  a  passage,  which  was  also  made 
of  skins,  hung  over  a  line  fastened  to  a  pole  at  the  dis 
tance  of  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  from  the  tent.  Each  side 
of  this  entrance  was  lined  with  piles  of  provision, — seals, 
fish,  ducks,  and  venison,  in  various  stages  of  decay,  which 
rendered  the  passage  into  the  interior  a  trying  operation. 
True,  it  was  intended  that  the  frost  should  prevent  this 
decay ;  but,  unfortunately,  the  frost  did  not  always  do  its. 
duty.  The  manner  in  which  they  cut  up  their  deer  and 
prepared  them  for  future  use  was  curious.  After  cutting 
the  animals  into  two,  without  skinning  them,  they  pinned 
up  the  front  half  with  the  heart  and  liver  in  the  cavity. 
The  other  half  they  treated  in  a  similar  way,  minus  the 
heart  and  liver,  and  then  put  them  out  to  freeze  until 
required.  When  frozen,  they  were  frequently  used  in 
their  tents  as  seats,  until  the  gradual  diminution  of  the 
larder  demanded  that  they  should  be  appropriated  to 
their  proper  use. 

The  tribe  of  Esquimaux  who  resided  near  Fort  Chimo 
at  this  time,  were  possessed  of  an  enormous  stone  kettle, 
in  which  they  boiled  an  entire  deer  at  one  time  ;  and, 
while  the  good  people  luxuriated  on  the  flesh  of  the 
animal  in  their  tents,  the  dogs  assembled  round  the  boiler 
to  await  the  cooling  of  the  soup  ; — thus  verifying  the 
assertion  formerly  made  by  Massan  on  that  head. 

The  dosrs  resembled  those  of  the  Newfoundland  breed 


236  UNGAVA. 

in  some  respects,  but  were  scarcely  so  large  or  good- 
looking,  and  had  erect  instead  of  pendent  ears.  There 
were  about  a  dozen  of  them ;  and  it  was  wonderful  to 
observe  the  patience  with  which  they  sat  in  a  circle 
round  the  kettle,  gazing  earnestly  at  the  soup,  licking 
their  chaps  the  while,  in  anticipation  of  the  feast. 

The  successful  hunt  was  regarded  as  worthy  of  being 
specially  celebrated  by  the  distribution  of  a  glass  of  grog 
to  the  men,  and  also  to  the  Esquimaux ;  for  at  the  time 
we  write  of,  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  had  not  yet  in 
stituted  the  wise  and  humane  regulation  which  has  since 
become  a  standing  order  throughout  all  parts  of  the 
country,  except  where  there  is  opposition,  namely,  that 
ardent  spirits  shall  not  be  given  to  the  natives.  How 
ever,  Stanley's  natural  disposition  led  him  to  be  very  cir 
cumspect  in  giving  spirits  to  the  men  and  natives  ;  and 
the  supply  now  issued  was  very  small. 

In  the  men  it  produced  a  desire  for  the  violin,  and 
created  a  tendency  to  sing  and  tell  stories.  In  the  Es 
quimaux  it  produced  at  first  dislike,  and  afterwards  wild 
excitement,  which,  in  the  case  of  Chacooto,  ended  in  a 
desire  to  fight.  But  his  comrades,  assisted  by  his  wives, 
overpowered  him,  tied  him  in  a  sack  made  of  seal-skin, 
and  left  him  to  roar  and  kick  till  he  fell  asleep  ! 

The  honesty  of  these  natives  was  exhibited  very 
strikingly  in  all  their  dealings  with  the  fur  traders. 
Although  iron  tools  of  every  description  were  scattered 
about  the  fort,  while  the  men  were  engaged  in  erecting 
the  several  buildings,  not  one  was  missed  ;  and  even  the 
useless  nails  and  scraps  of  metal  that  were  thrown  away, 
when  they  were  found  by  chance  by  the  Esquimaux, 
were  always  brought  to  the  house,  and  the  question 
asked,  "  Were  they  of  any  use  ?  "  before  being  appro- 


UXGAVA.  237 

priatcd.  They  were  great  beggars,  however ;  which  was 
not  surprising,  considering  the  value  of  the  articles  pos 
sessed  by  the  traders,  and  their  own  limited  means  of 
purchasing  them.  Their  chief  wealth  at  this  time  lay  in 
boots  and  deer  skins,  which  the  women  were  constantly 
employed  in  preparing ;  but  Stanley  urged  them  to  go 
into  the  interior  and  hunt,  as,  although  deer  skins  and 
boots  were  useful,  furs  were  infinitely  more  valuable. 
But  the  Esquimaux  had  much  too  lively  a  dread  of  the 
Indians  to  venture  away  from  the  coast,  and  seemed  in 
clined  to  hang  about  the  place  in  comparative  idleness, 
much  lonnrer  than  was  desirable. 


238  UXGAVA. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

MORE  ARRIVALS— HONESTY— INDIANS  COME  UPON  THE  SCENE— 
THE  TIUBES  RECONCILED— DISEASE  AND  DEATH  CHANGE  THE 
ASPECT  OF  THINGS— PHILOSOPHIC  DISCOURSE. 

A  DAY  or  two  after  the  successful  deer-bunt  above 
related,  several  bands  of  Esquimaux  arrived  at 
Fort  Chimo,  and  encamped  beside  their  comrades.  This 
unusual  influx  of  visitors  soon  exhausted  the  venison 
that  had  been  procured  ;  but  hunting  parties  were  con 
stantly  on  the  alert,  and,  as  game  of  all  kinds  was  plenti 
ful,  they  lived  in  the  midst  of  abundance.  To  all  of 
these  Stanley  made  small  presents  of  beads  and  tobacco, 
and  recommended  them  strongly  to  go  and  hunt  for  furs. 
But  they  seemed  to  like  their  quarters,  and  refused  to 
move.  The  new  arrivals,  along  with  those  who  had  first 
come,  formed  a  band  of  about  three  hundred,  and  were 
found,  almost  without  exception,  to  be  a  quiet,  inoffensive, 
and  honest  people. 

As  a  proof  of  this  latter  quality,  we  may  mention  a 
circumstance  that  occurred  a  few  days  after  the  arrival 
of  the  last  band.  Being  desirous  of  taking  some  addi 
tional  soundings,  Stanley  launched  his  boat  by  the  help 
of  the  Esquimaux,  for  his  own  men  were  all  absent 
hunting  and  fishing.  The  boat  referred  to  had  been 
sent  to  the  fort  in  the  ship,  and  was  a  most  useful  and 
acceptable  gift  from  the  Governor  of  the  Fur  Com 
pany  to  the  gentleman  in  charge  of  Ungava.  Stanley 
hoisted  his  sails,  and  prepared  to  run  down  the  river; 


UXGAVA.  239 

but,  ere  lie  had  advanced  a  hundred  yards,  he  was 
startled  by  a  burst  of  loud  cries  from  the  shore,  and, 
looking  back,  he  observed  the  whole  band  of  natives 
pouring  like  a  torrent  into  the  fort !  His  heart  leaped 
within  him  as  he  thought  of  his  unprotected  wife  and 
child.  Turning  the  boat  towards  the  shore,  he  ran  it  on 
the  beach,  and,  leaving  it  with  all  the  sails  standing,  he 
rushed  into  the  square  of  the  fort,  forcing  his  way  through 
the  crush  of  natives,  whose  vociferous  talking  rendered 
what  they  said,  for  a  time,  unintelligible.  At  length 
Moses  forced  his  way  through  the  crowd,  followed  by 
one  of  the  natives,  who  led  a  large  dog  by  a  line  fastened 
round  its  neck. 

"  "What's  the  matter,  Moses  ;  what's  wrong  ?  "  cried 
Stanley. 

"  Oh,  noting  at  all,"  replied  Moses,  casting  a  look  of 
pity  at  his  countrymen.  "  Dem  are  great  gooses.  Dis 
man  here  wid  de  dog,  him  say  dat  de  child'n  was  play  in 
de  square  of  dis  fort,  an'  one  o'  dem  trow  stone  and  broke 
a  window.  It  was  de  son  ob  dis  man  what  do  it,  an'  him 
say  he  most  awful  sorry, — an'  all  de  people  sorry,  so  dey 
bring  de  dog  to  pay  for  de  broken  window." 

"  I'm  glad  it's  nothing  worse,"  cried  Stanley,  much  re 
lieved.  "  Tell  them,  I'm  happy  to  find  they  are  sorry, 
and  I  hope  they  will  keep  the  children  out  of  the  square 
in  future  ;  but  I  don't  want  the  dog.  It  was  an  accident, 
and  not  worth  making  such  a  noise  about." 

The  Esquimaux,  however,  would  not  agree  to  look 
upon  this  .accident  as  a  light  matter.  They  said  truly, 
that  glass  was  not  to  be  got  so  easily  as  the  ice-blocks 
with  which  they  formed  windows  to  their  own  winter 
houses ;  so  they  insisted  on  the  dog  being  accepted,  and 
at  length  Stanley  gave  in,  but  took  care  that  the  native 


240  UXGAVA. 

who  gave  it  should  not  be  a  loser  in  consequence  of  his 
honesty.  Moreover,  Stanley  begged  of  them  to  send  up 
several  of  their  best  dogs,  saying  that  he  would  purchase 
them,  as  he  was  in  want  of  a  team  for  hauling  the  win 
ter  firewood. 

Next  day,  while  Stanley  was  engaged  in  the  trading 
store  with  a  party  of  Esquimaux,  he  was  surprised  by 
hearing  a  volley  of  musketry  fired  at  the  back  of  the 
fort.  Snatching  up  a  loaded  gun  as  he  ran  hastily  out, 
he  found  that  the  shots  had  been  fired  by  a  band  of  In 
dians  as  a  salute  to  the  fort  on  their  arrival. 

This  was  the  first  time  that  Indians  had  made  their 
appearance  since  the  arrival  of  the  fur  traders  ;  and 
their  advent  at  the  present  time  was  most  fortunate,  as  it 
afforded  Stanley  an  opportunity  of  commencing  his  ne 
gotiations  as  peacemaker  in  the  presence  of  a  consider 
able  band  of  both  parties.  The  Indians,  fifteen  in  num 
ber,  were  all  clothed,  with  the  exception  of  their  chief, 
in  deer-skin  hunting  shirts,  ornamented  moccasons  of  the 
same  material,  and  cloth  leggins.  They  wore  no  head 
dress  ;  but  their  long,  straight,  black  hair  was  decorated 
with  feathers  and  small  metallic  ornaments,  among  which 
were  several  silver  thimbles.  Their  powder-horns  and 
shot-pouches  were  gayly  ornamented  with  bead  and  quill 
work  ;  and  they  were  all  armed  with  long  guns,  on  which 
they  leaned  as  they  stood  silently,  in  a  picturesque  group, 
on  the  flat  rocky  platform  above  the  spring,  which  has 
been  more  than  once  alluded  to. 

This  platform  overlooked  the  fort,  and  was  a  favor 
ite  promenade  of  the  traders.  At  present  it  formed  a 
sort  of  neutral  ground,  on  which  the  Indians  took  their 
stand.  The  red  men  \vere  overawed  by  the  very  supe 
rior  number  of  the  Esquimaux,  and  felt  that  they  were 


UNGAVA.  241 

safe'  only  so  long  as  they  stood  on  the  flat  rock,  which 
was  the  only  path  leading  to  the  ravine,  through  which, 
if  need  be,  they  could  easily  escape  into  the  mountains. 

The  chief  of  the  Indians,  unlike  his  fellows,  was 
dressed  in  a  costume  of  the  most  grotesque  and  brilliant 
character ;  and,  certainly,  one  which,  however  much  it 
might  raise  the  admiration  of  his  savage  companions,  did 
not  add  to  his  dignity  in  the.  eyes  of  the  traders.  He 
wore  a  long,  bright  scarlet  coat,  richly  embroidered  with 
gold  lace,  with  large  cuffs,  and  gilt  buttons ;  a  pair  of 
blue  cloth  trousers,  and  a  vest  of  the  same  material ;  a 
broad  worsted  sash,  and  a  hat  in  the  form  of  the  ordinary 
beaver  or  silk  hat  of  Europe.  The  material,  however, 
was  very  coarse  ;  but  this  was  made  up  for  by  the  silver 
and  gilt  cords,  and  tassels,  with  which  it  was  profusely 
decorated.  He  evidently  felt  his  own  importance,  and 
stood  with  a  calm,  dignified  gaze,  waiting  to  be  addressed. 

Hailing  Ma-istiquan,  who  leaned  on  the  axe  with 
which  he  had  been  cutting  firewood  when  the  volley  of 
the  Indians  arrested  him,  Stanley  bade  him  invite  them 
to  enter  the  fort. 

"  We  cannot  come  down,"  replied  the  chief,  after  Ma- 
istiquan  had  given  the  invitation.  "  The  Eskimos  are  in 
numbers  like  the  stars, — we  are  few.  If  the  pale-faces 
are  our  friends,  let  them  come  up  here  and  take  us  by 
the  hand,  and  bring  us  down." 

"  Very  reasonable,"  said  Stanley  to  Frank,  who  stood 
beside  him ;  "  we  must  take  care  that  the  Esquimaux  do 
not  take  advantage  of  their  numbers  to  avenge  their  an 
cient  wrongs." 

Then,  turning  to  the  natives,  who  had  now  crowded 
in  large  numbers  into  the  fort,  Stanley  addressed  them 
in  a  serious  tone  ;  told  them  that  the  time  had  now  come 
16 


242  UXGAVA. 

when  he  hoped  to  reconcile  the  Innuit  and  the  Allut*  to 
gether  ;  and  that  he  expected  they  would  show  their 
gratitude  for  his  many  kindnesses  to  them  by  treating 
the  Indians,  who  were  his  friends,  with  hospitality.  The 
Esquimaux  promised  obedience,  after  which  Stanley  as 
cended  to  the  promenade,  and,  taking  the  Indian  chief 
by  the  hand,  led  him  towards  the  fort,  followed  by  the 
•whole  band,  in  single  file. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  detail  the  speeches  that  followed 

•on  both  sides  on  this  occasion,  and  the  eloquence  that 
was  expended  that  evening  in  the  cause  of  peace.  Suf 
fice  it  to  say,  that  the  Indians  and  Esquimaux  shook 
hands  and  exchanged  gifts  in  the  presence  of  the  assem 
bled  garrison  of  Fort  Chimo.  But,  although  the  traders 
had  reason  to  congratulate  themselves  on  having  so  far  suc 
ceeded  in  the  establishment  of  peace,  they  could  not  con 
ceal  from  themselves  the  fact  that,  while,  on  the  one 
hand,  the  Esquimaux  appeared  to  be  perfectly  sincere 
and  cordial  in  their  professions,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Indians  evinced  a  good  deal  of  taciturnity  at  first,  and, 
even  after  their  reserve  was  overcome,  seemed  to  act  as 
men  do  who  are  constrained  to  the  performance  of  a  dis 
tasteful  action. 

In  general  character,  the  Indians  of  Labrador  do  not 
contrast  well  with  the  Esquimaux, — at  least  this  may 
with  truth  be  said  of  those  who  afterwards  became  at 
tached  to  the  district  of  Ungava.  The  Indian  is  reserved 
and  taciturn,  while  the  Esquimaux  is  candid,  frank,  and 
communicative.  Of  course  there  are  exceptions  on  both 

.  sides. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  Stanley  had  much 

•difficulty  in  overcoming  the  reserve  of  the  Indians,  so  as 
*  Esquimaux  name  for  Indians. 


UNGAVA.  243 

to  procure  information  regarding  the  interior  ;  and  it  was 
not  until  their  hearts  were  opened  by  the  influence  of  to 
bacco,  that  they  condescended  to  give  the  required  infor 
mation.  This  was  to  the  effect  that  there  were  not  many 
fur-bearing  animals  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Ungava, 
but  that  there  were  a  good  many  in  the  wooded  country 
lying  to  the  southward  and  eastward.  Here,  however, 
the  Indians  do  not  care  to  hunt,  preferring  rather  to  keep 
to  the  heights  of  land,  and  near  the  coast,  where  the  deer 
are  numerous.  In  fact,  Stanley  afterwards  found  that 
'the  facility  with  which  the  Indians  procured  deer  in  this 
part  of  the  country  was  a  serious  drawback  to  the  fur 
trade,  as  they  contented  themselves  with  trapping  just 
enough  of  otters,  foxes,  &c.,  to  enable  them  to  procure  a 
supply  of  ammunition  with  which  to  hunt  the  deer. 

The  Indians  had  brought  a  few  beaver  and  other  furs 
to  trade,  and,  after  receiving  a  good  meal  and  a  few  pres 
ents,  they  took  up  their  quarters  on  a  plot  of  ground 
close  to  the  fort.  Here  they  lived  a  short  time  in  perfect 
friendship  with  the  Esquimaux,  visiting  them,  and  hunt 
ing  i-n  company ;  but  more  than  once  they  exhibited  their 
natural  disposition  by  stealing  the  goods  of  their  neigh 
bors.  On  one  occasion,  two  Esquimaux  children  were 
missed  from  the  camp,  and,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  they 
returned  to  their  parents  clothed  in  Indian  costume ! 
This  was  a  very  polite  piece  of  attention  on  the  part  of 
the  Indians ;  but  the  effect  of  it  was  much  marred,  the 
same  day,  by  the  abstraction  of  a  knife  from  an  Esqui 
maux  tent.  Stanley  insisted  on  the  article  being  restored, 
and  severely  reprimanded  the  offender.  But,  although 
the  general  harmony  of  the  camp  was  sometimes  broken 
by  such  events,  the  friendship  between  the  two  parties 
seemed  to  be  gradually  increasing,  and  Stanley  saw  with 


244  UNGAVA. 

satisfaction  that  the  Allat  and  the  Innuit  bade  fair  to  be 
come  fast  friends  for  the  future. 

But  an  event  occurred  at  this  time  which  put  an  end 
to  their  intercourse,  and  very  much  altered  the  aspect  of 
affairs. 

For  some  time  past  the  men  at  the  fort  had  been  sub 
ject  to  rather  severe  attacks  of  cold,  or  a  species  of  influ 
enza.  This  they  unfortunately  communicated  to  the 
Esquimaux,  who  seemed  to  be  peculiarly  susceptible  of 
the  disease.  Being  very  fat  and  full-blooded,  it  had  the 
most  dreadful  effect  on  the  poor  creatures,  and  at  a  cur 
tain  stage  almost  choked  them.  At  last  one  night  it  was 
reported  that  ten  of  their  number  had  died  from  absolute 
suffocation.  All  of  these  had  been  strong  and  robust, 
and  they  died  after  two  days'  illness. 

One  of  those  who  were  attacked  was  Edith's  little 
friend,  Arnalooa ;  and,  just  before  the  ten  Esquimaux  died, 
Edith  had  gone  down  to  the  camp  with  a  present  of 
beads  to  console  her.  She  found  her  much  better,  and, 
after  talking  to  her  for  some  time,  she  took  her  leave, 
promising  to  pay  her  another  visit  next  day.  True  to 
her  promise,  Edith  sallied  forth  after  breakfast  with  a 
little  native  basket  on  her  arm.  About  half  an  hour 
afterwards,  while  Stanley  was  sitting  in  the  hall  with  his 
wife  and  Frank,  they  were  startled  by  the  sudden  appear 
ance  of  Edith,  out  of  breath  from  the  speed  with  which 
she  had  run  home,  and  her  face  overspread  with  a  'deadly 
paleness. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  my  darling  ?  "  cried  her  mother, 
starting  up  in  alarm. 

"  Oh !  the  Esquimaux  are  lying  dead  on  the  sand," 
gasped  Edith,  as  she  laid  her  head  on  her  mother's 
breast,  "  and  the  rest  are  all  gone." 


UNGAVA.  245 

Without  waiting  to  hear  more,  Frank  and  Stanley  took 
clown  their  guns  and  hastened  to  the  camp. 

Here  a  scene  of  the  most  horrible  kind  presented  it 
self.  The  whole  camp  exhibited  evidences  of  a  hasty 
flight ;  and  eight  of  the  people  who  had  died  during  the 
night  were  lying  exposed  on  the  rocks,  with  their  white 
faces  and  ghastly  eyeballs  turned  towards  the  sky.  The 
other  two  had  been  buried  on  the  rocks  under  a  heap  of 
stones,  which  did  not  conceal  them  entirely  from  view. 

"  Xo  wonder  poor  Edith  was  alarmed,"  said  Stanley, 
sadly,  as  he  leaned  on  his  fowling-piece  and  surveyed  the 
scene  of  desolation  and  death. 

"I  have  been  told,"  remarked  Frank,  "that  the  Es 
quimaux  have  a  superstitious  dread  of  this  river.  Ooli- 
buck  mentioned  to  me  this  morning  that  he  has  had  a 
good  deal  of  conversation  with  the  natives  about  this 
disease ;  and  they  told  him  that  it  invariably  attacks 
them  when  they  enter  this  river,  and  carries  them  off  by 
dozens ;  so  that  they  never  come  into  it  except  when 
they  require  wood,  and  always  stay  as  short  a  time  as 
possible." 

"Ah !  that's  bad,"  said  Stanley ;  "  I  fear  that  it  will  go 
much  against  the  success  of  the  establishment.  But  we 
must  hope  better  things ;  and,  truly,  with  this  exception, 
all  has  gone  well  hitherto.  Said  they  anything  more, 
Frank  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  they  hinted,  it  seems,  their  intention  of  flying 
away  from  this  fatal  spot,  and  taking  up  their  abode  for 
the  winter  at  the  mouth  of  False  River,  where  they  can 
obtain  a  livelihood  by  seal-fishing  ;  but  Oolibuck  thought 
they  did  not  mean  to  put  the  threat  in  execution,  and  did 
not  imagine  that  they  were  in  such  alarm  that  they  would 
go  off  without  burying  their  dead." 


246  UNGAVA. 

"  We  must  do  that  for  them,  Frank,"  said  Stanley, 
turning  to  retrace  his  steps  to  the  fort ;  "  send  down  as 
many  of  the  men  as  you  can  spare  to-day,  and  get  it  done 
at  once." 

"  By  the  way,"  said  Frank,  as  they  walked  along  the 
beach,  "it  seems  that  many  years  ago  the  Moravian  mis 
sionaries  came  to  the  mouth  of  this  river,  and  talked  of 
setting  up  a  trading  fort  here ;  but,  from  some  cause  un 
known,  they  gave  up  their  design  and  went  away.  Max- 
imus  has  been  telling  me  all  he  knows  about  the  matter  ; 
but  his  reports  are  vague,  and  the  event  must  have  oc 
curred,  if  it  occurred  at  all,  when  he  was  a  child." 

"Very  possibly,  Frank.  You  know  the  Moravians 
have  settlements  along  the  coasts  of  Labrador,  to  the 
eastward  of  this.  They  may  have  made  an  attempt  long 
ago  to  push  as  far  as  this.  I  have  always  had  a  high 
opinion  of  the  energy  and  perseverance  of  these  mis 
sionaries,  but  I  cannot  get  over  the  incongruity  of  their 
strange  way  of  mingling  trade  with  religion.  It  seems 
to  me  an  unnatural  sort  of  thing  for  missionaries  to  be 
fur  traders.  I  do  not  mean  by  this  to  object  to  their 
system,  however ;  I  dare  say  it  works  well,  but  I've  had 
no  means  of  judging." 

"  It  is  strange,"  replied  Frank ;  "  yet  it  seems  a  good 
plan.  The  missionaries  trade  there  in  order  that  they 
may  live  and  preach.  'T would  be  a  good  thing  for  the 
Indian  country  if  the  same  principles  and  practice  act 
uated  the  traders ;  with  this  difference,  that  instead  of 
missionaries  becoming  fur  traders,  the  fur  traders  would 
become  missionaries.  It  does  seem  a  species  of  infatua 
tion,"  continued  Frank,  energetically,  as  he  warmed  with 
the  subject,  "  that  men,  calling  themselves  Christians, 
should  live  for  years  and  years  among  the  poor  Indians 


UNGAVA.  247 

of  America  and  never  once  name  to  them  the  great  and 
saving  name  of  Christ.  Of  course  I  do  not  wonder  at 
those  who  make  little  or  no  profession  of  Christianity ; 
but  there  are  men  in  the  fur-trade  who  seem  to  be  deeply 
impressed  with  the  truths  of  God's  word, — who  are  alive 
to  the  fact,  that  there  is  no  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men  whereby  we  can  be  saved  except  the  name 
of  Christ, — who  know  and  feel  that  the  Indians  around 
them  are  living  without  God,  and,  therefore,  without 
hope  in  the  world, — who  feel  that  Christ  is  all  in  all, 
and  that  the  Christian  religion,  however  perfect  and 
beautiful  as  a  code  of  morals,  is  utterly  worthless  as  to 
salvation  unless  there  be  in  the  heart  the  special  love  of 
Jesus  Christ ; — men  who  admit  and  profess  to  believe  all 
this,  yet  never  speak  of  Christ  to  the  natives, — never 
mention  the  name  that  can  alone  save  them  from  eternal 
destruction." 

"  Be  not  hasty.  Frank,"  replied  Stanley.  "  I  agree 
with  you,  that  it  is  strange  indeed  we  do  not  see  and  hear 
more  of  this  missionary  spirit  among  the  traders,  and  I, 
for  one,  take  your  words  as  a  deserved  rebuke  to  my 
self;  but  if  there  are,  as  you  say,  many  among  us  who 
are  deeply  impressed  with  the  truths  of  God's  word,  how 
know  you  that  we  never  mention  our  Saviour's  name  to 
the  Indians  ?  Although  fur  traders  do  not  mount  the 
pulpit,  they  may,  in  private,  make  mention  of  that  name, 
and  do  an  amount  of  good  that  will  only  be  fully  known 
when  the  trader,  the  trapper,  and  the  Indian,  shall  stand 
side  by  side  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ.  Ob 
serve,  I  do  not  say  that  this  is  actually  the  case ;  I  only 
suggest  that  it  is  possible, — may  I  not  add,  probable  ?  " 

"  It  may  be  so,"  returned  Frank,  "  it  may  be  so,  and 
God  forgive  me  if  I  have  judged  the  men  of  the  fur- 


248  UNGAVA. 

trade  unjustly ;  but  I  certainly  know  one  who  has  made 
somewhat  of  a  profession  of  Christianity  in  his  day,  and 
yet  has  done  next  to  nothing, — and  that  one  is  Frank 
Morton." 

"  I'll  not  gainsay  that,  Frank,"  said  Stanley,  with  a 
quiet  smile ;  "  and  I  think  we  are  not  likely  to  err  much 
when  we  apply  censure  to  ourselves.  It  i.s  curious  that 
you  and  I  should  have  been  thinking  of  the  very  same 
subject.  A  few  days  ago,  while  my  wife  and  I  were 
conversing  together  about  the  Esquimaux,  we  agreed  to 
devote  a  good  deal  of  our  leisure  time  next  winter  to 
reading  and  explaining  the  Bible  to  our  Esquimaux  in 
terpreters,  in  the  hope  that  they  may  afterwards  be  the 
means  of  much  good  among  their  poor  countrymen." 

Whether  or  not  the  good  resolutions  made  at  this  time 
were  ever  put  in  practice  we  cannot  say.  Let  us  hope 
that  they  were. 

Not  long  after  the  sudden  flight  of  the  Esquimaux, 
the  Indians  struck  their  tents  and  took  their  departure 
for  the  interior,  with  the  intention,  as  they  said,  of  hunt 
ing  for  furs,  but  more  probably,  as  Ma-istiquan  suggested, 
to  hunt  the  deer.  During  all  the  time  of  their  residence 
at  the  fort.  Maximus  had  kept  out  of  their  way  as  much  as 
possible.  lie  seldom  met  them  without  a  frown  of  hatred, 
for  he  regarded  them  as  the  representatives  of  a  race 
which  had  robbed  him  of  his  bride ;  and  there  were 
times  when  the  giant's  spirit  chafed  so  fearfully  at  the 
sight  of  the  red  men,  that  nothing  but  the  remembrance 
of  his  promise  to  Stanley,  to  offer  them  no  injury,  pre 
vented  him  from  stirring  up  his  tribe  to  overwhelm  and 
destroy  them.  It  was,  therefore,  with  a  feeling  of  relief 
that  Maximus  beheld  them  march  single  file  over  the 
rocky  platform,  and  disappear  in  the  ravine  that  led  into 
the  mountains. 


UNGAVA.  249 

The  traders  of  Ungava  were  once  more  left  in  soli 
tude,  and  from  this  time  forward,  until  the  winter  set  in, 
they  devoted  all  their  energies  to  laying  up  a  stock  of 
provisions  sufficient  to  last  till  spring. 

Dick  Prince  and  Massan  were  sent  after  the  deer  in 
company.  Augustus  and  Bryan  were  despatched  to  a 
small  lake  to  establish  a  fishery ;  in  which  they  were 
very  successful,  and  soon  caught  a  large  supply  of  excel 
lent  white-fish,  trout,  and  carp,  which  they  gutted  and 
hung  up  by  their  tails  to  dry  and  freeze.  Frank  and 
Moses  went  to  another  small  lake,  about  ten  miles  down 
the  river,  and  built  a  hut  of  willows,  in  which  they  dwelt 
while  engaged  at  the  fishery.  As  there  was  still  much 
to  be  done  in  the  way  of  completing  the  fort,  and  making 
furniture,  Stanley  retained  La  Roche,  Oolibuck,  and  the 
two  Indians,  to  assist  him  in  this,  as  well  as  in  the  per 
formance  of  the  miscellaneous  minor  duties  about  the 
station, — such  as  cutting  up  firewood,  covering  the  roofs 
of  the  stores  with  tarpaulin,  shooting  such  birds  and  ani 
mals  as  came  near  the  fort,  constructing  rude  chairs  and 
tables,  cooking,  &c.  &c, — while  Francois  and  Gaspard 
were  sent  up  the  river  to  fell  trees,  for  the  purposes  both 
of  building  and  firewood.  Edith  and  her  mother  found 
ample  occupation ;  the  latter  in  the  use  of  her  needle  and 
the  cares  of  the  household ;  the  former  in  learning  her 
lessons,  visiting  her  berry-ravine,  dressing  her  doll  (for 
she  had  a  doll,  as  a  matter  of  course),  and  in  holding 
long  and  frequent  converse  with  Chimo. 

Thus  they  spent  their  time, — too  busily  occupied  to 
take  much  note  of  its  rapid  flight,  and  scarce  noticing  the 
lengthening  nights  and  shortening  days,  until  needles  of 
ice  began  with  slow  and  silent  progress  to  shoot  across 
and  solidify  the  waters  of  the  bay. 


250  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

EFFECT  OF  SNOW  ON  THE  FEELINGS,  NOT  TO  MENTION  THE  LAND 
SCAPE—A  WONDERFUL  DOME  OF  ICE. 

THERE  are  times  and  seasons,  in  1liis  peculiar 
world  of  ours,  when  the  heart  of  man  rejoices.  The 
rejoicing  to  which  we  refer  is  not  of  the  ordinary  kind. 
It  is  peculiar  ;  and,  whether  its  duration  be  long  or  short, 
its  effect  powerful  or  slight,  it  is  quite  distinct  and  em 
phatic.  We  do  not  intend  to  enter  into  a  detail  of  the 
occasions  that  call  forth  this  feeling  of  exultation.  Far 
be  it  from  us  to  venture  into  such  perilous  depths  of 
philosophy.  Our  sole  reason  for  making  these  prelimi 
nary  observations  is,  that  we  may,  with  proper  emphasis, 
introduce  the  statement,  that  one  of  these  occasions  of 
rejoicing  is,  when  man  arises  from  his  couch,  on  a  bril 
liant,  sunny,  sparkling  morning,  gazes  forth  from  his  win 
dow,  and  beholds  the  landscape, — which  yesterday  was 
green,  and  red,  and  brown,  and  blue, — clad  in  a  soft 
mantle  of  whitest  snow  ! 

What !  you  don't  agree  with  us  ?  You  shudder  at  the 
preposterous  idea  of  such  a  sight  being  fitted  to  rejoice 
the  heart  of  man  in  any  degree  whatever  ?  Well,  well ; 
do  not  sneer  at  our  weakness.  If  we  cannot  sympathize 
with  each  other  on  this  subject,  perchance  there  are  other 
things  in  which  we  can.  But,  whatever  be  our  opinion 
in  regard  to  this,  the  point  that  we  have  to  deal  with  at 
present  is,  the  opinion  of  Edith  Stanley,  who,  on  rising 
hastily  one  morning,  and  looking  forth  from  her  little 


UNGAVA.  251 

•window,  evinced  the  rejoicing  of  her  heart  most  emphat 
ically,  by  her  loud  exclamation  of  delight  and  the  spark 
ling  of  her  bright  blue  eyes. 

Independently  of  the  cheerful  lightness  and  the  virgin 
purity  of  the  mantle,  which,  in  itself,  tended  to  awaken 
emotions  of  gladness  in  Edith's  heart,  there  was  some 
thing  in  its  sudden  appearance  that  carried  her  back 
violently  and  vividly  to  bygone  days.  The  winter  garb 
had  no  associations,  yet,  with  Ungava ;  but  it  had  with 
Moose  Fort  and  the  dear  companions  she  used  to  play 
with  there.  It  recalled  the  time  when  she  and  her  little 
friends  sallied  forth,  each  with  her  small  wooden  sledge 
drawn  after  her  by  a  line,  to  slide  thereon  down  the 
banks  of  the  frozen  river  with  headlong  speed,  and 
upset  at  the  bottom  amid  shouts  of  laughter.  It  recalled 
the  time  when  she  made  the  first  attempt  to  walk  in 
snow-shoes,  upon  which  occasion  she  tripped  and  fell 
into  the  snow,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  was  advised  to 
wait  till  she  was  older.  It  recalled  the  memory  of  her 
father's  team  of  dogs,  and  the  delightful  drives  she  used 
to  have  over  the  frozen  river  ;  which  drives  often  resulted 
in  an  upset,  perhaps  several,  and  always  resulted  in 
fun.  It  recalled  the  house  in  the  old  fort  that  used  to 
be  her  home ;  the  row  of  houses  belonging  to  the  men,  to 
which  she  often  went,  and  was  always  welcomed  as  a 
great  favorite ;  the  water-hole  on  the  river  from  Avhich 
the  old  Canadian  drew  his  daily  supply ;  and  the  snow- 
house  in  the  yard  which  she  built  in  company  with  Frank 
Morton,  and  which  stood  the  whole  winter  through,  but 
gave  way  at  last  before  the  blazing  sun  of  spring,  and 
fell, — as  ill  luck  would  have  it, — when  she  and  Chimo 
were  sitting  there,  so  that  she  and  the  dog  together  had 
a  hard  struggle  ere  they  got  free.  All  these,  and  many 


252  UXGAVA. 

more  thick-coming  memories  of  other  days,  were  aroused 
by  the  vision  of  snow  that  met  Edith's  gaze  that  morn 
ing,  and  caused  her  heart  with  peculiar  fervor  to  rejoice. 

Winter  had  now  descended  with  an  iron  grasp  upon 
Ungava.  For  some  weeks  the  frost  had  been  so  intense 
that  every  lake  and  pool  was  frozen  many  inches  thick, 
and  the  salt  bay  itself  was  fringed  with  a  thick  and  ever 
accumulating  mass  of  ice.  The  snow  which  now  fell 
was  but  the  ceremonial  coronation  of  a  king  whose  reign 
had  commenced  in  reality  long  before. 

But  the  sunshine  did  not  last  long.  The  rolling  fogs 
and  vapors  of  the  open  and  ice-laden  sea  beyond,  as 
cended  over  the  wild  mountains,  obscured  the  bright  sky, 
and  revealed  the  winter  of  the  north  in  all  its  stern,  cold 
reality.  Every  cliff,  and  crag,  and  jagged  peak  had  its 
crown  of  snow ;  and  every  corrie,  glen,  and  gorge,  its 
drifted  shroud.  In  places  where  the  precipices  were 
perpendicular  the  gray  rocks  of  the  mountains  formed 
dark  blotches  in  the  picture ;  but,  dark  although  they 
were,  they  did  not  equal  in  blackness  the  river,  on  which 
floated  hundreds  of  masses  of  ice  and  several  ponderous 
icebergs,  which  had  been  carried  up  from  the  sea  by  the 
flood-tide.  Over  this  inky  expanse  the  frost-smoke  hung 
like  a  loaden  pall — an  evil  spirit,  as  it  were,  which  never 
left  the  spot  till  protracted  and  intense  frost  closed  the 
waters  of  the  river  altogether,  and  banished  it  farther 
out  to  sea.  But  this  entire  closing  of  the  river  very  sel 
dom  happened,  and  never  lasted  long. 

Fort  Chimo  itself,  at  least  as  much  of  it  as  remained 
unburied,  was  a  mere  speck  on  the  edge  of  the  white 
plain  at  the  mountain's  foot,  scarce  distinguishable,  at  a 
short  distance,  from  the  straggling  black  pines  and  wil 
low  bushes  that  seemed  thrust  out  into  the  waste  from 


UNGAVA.  253 

the  ravines  above  and  below  the  fort.  But  on  a  nearer 
approach,  the  fort  assumed  an  air  of  greater  importance  ; 
the  influences,  too,  of  the  cold,  cheerless  scene  we  have 
described,  were  broken  and  dissipated  by  the  sights  of 
comfort  and  sounds  of  cheerfulness  within.  The  shout 
of  the  water-drawer,  as  he  roused  the  dogs  and  went 
forth  with  his  empty  cask,  hauled  on  a  little  sledge,  to 
draw  from  the  bubbling  spring  behind  the  fort  ;  the 
sounds  of  the  hammer,  the  chisel,  and  the  axe,  in  the 
carpenter's  shop  ;  the  merry  clank  of  Bryan's  hammer, 
and  the  bright  flame  that  gleamed  from  the  window  of 
the  forge  ; — all  bore  evidence-  of  the  fact,  that  however 
powerful  the  influence  of  winter  might  be  without,  it  had 
little  power  within  the  wooden  walls  of  Fort  Chimo,  and 
could  not  check  the  life,  or  heart,  or  industry  of  man. 

The  only  other  human  being  visible  in  the  open  air, 
besides  the  water-drawer,  was  La  Roche,  who,  with  a  fur 
cap  covering  his  head  and  ears,  and  leathern  mittens  on 
his  hands,  hewed  and  hacked  the  billets  with  which  he 
purposed  to  replenish  the  fire  for  cooking  the  mid-day 
meal. 

Pausing  in  his  labor,  and  dusting  off  the  hoarfrost 
that  covered  his  eyebrows  and  whiskers,  he  looked  at 
the  edge  of  his  hatchet  for  a  few  seconds  with  an  expres 
sion  of  contempt.  Then,  throwing  the  implement  on  his 
shoulder,  he  crossed  the  yard  and  entered  the  black 
smith's  shop. 

"  Bryan,"  said  he,  seating  himself  on  the  edge  of  the 
forge  and  filling  his  pipe,  while  Vulcan's  votary  scattered 
a  shower  of  gems  from  a  white-hot  bar  of  iron  at  every 
blow  of  his  hammer.  "  Bryan,  you  no  fit  for  not'ing. 
Dat  axe  is  blont  encore.  Oui,  c'est  vrai.  Now  dat  is 
tres  mal.  How  you  not  can  temper  him  edge  better  ?  " 


254  UNGAVA. 

"  Timper  it  better,  is  it  ?  "  answered  Bryan,  putting 
the  iron  bar  in  the  fire,  and  regarding  his  companion 
earnestly,  while  he  blew  the  bellows.  "  Faix,  'tis  mysilf 
I'd  need  to  timper  better,  in  order  to  put  up  wi'  the 
likes  o'  you,  ye  wretched  crature.  How  can  ye  expict  it 
to  kape  its  idge  when  ye  lave  it  foriver  lyin'  among  yer 
pots  and  kittles  ?  " 

"  Dat  is  not  it,"  replied  La  Roche,  applying  a  glowing 
coal  to  his  pipe.  "  'Tis  de  mauvais  steel.  But  I  not 
com  for  to  fight  wid  you.  Your  tongue  trop  long  pour 
dat.  I  com  for  ax  you  to  give  me  turn  ov  de  grindstone, 
s'il  vous  plait." 

"  Ye  don't  desarve  it,  Losh,  but  wait  till  I've  finished 
this  job  and  I'll  lind  ye  a  hand." 

"  Be-the-by,"  resumed  Bryan,  when  the  metal  was 
cooled,  "  has  Frangois  finished  that  sled  for  Miss  Kdith  ?  " 

"  Oui,"  replied  La  Roche,  seating  himself  at  the  grind 
stone.  ("  Ah  !  pas  si  vite,  a  leet  more  slow,  Bryan.) 
Oui,  him  make  it  all  ready  ;  only  want  de  ring-bolts." 

"  Thin  it  won't  want  thim  long.  Ye  can  take  thim 
over  to  the  shop  when  ye  go  across.  There  they  are  on 
the  binch." 

Bryan  continued  to  turn  the  handle  of  the  stone  for 
some  time  in  silence. 

"  D'ye  know,  Losh,"  he  resumed,  "  whin  Mister  Frank 
is  goin'  to  the  fishery  ?  " 

"  He  go  domain,  I  b'lieve,  and  Mademoiselle  Edith  go 
too." 

"None  o'  the  min  goin'  ?"  inquired  the  blacksmith. 

"Non.  Monsieur  Frank  just  go  for  to  try  if  dere  be 
any  fish  to  be  cotch  by  de  hook  ;  and  I  link  he  go  more 
for  to  give  Edith  one  drive  dan  dat." 

"  Very  likely,  Losh.     The   poor  purty  little  crayture. 


UNGAVA.  255 

She's  very  fond  o'  sledgin'  and  walkin'  in  snow-shoes. 
'Tis  well  for  her,  bekase  there's  a  want  o'  companions  for 
her  here  intirely." 

"  Ah  !  mercy,  dat  is  superb,  magnifique  !  "  said  the 
Frenchman,  feeling  the  edge  of  the  axe  with  his 
thumb.  "  It  sharp  'nuff  to  shave  de  hair  off  your  ogly 
face,  Bryan." 

"  Thin  be  off  wid  ye,  an'  don't  kape  me  longer  from 
my  work, — an'  shut  the  door  quick  behind  ye ;  there's 
could  enough  in  the  place  already." 

So  saying,  Bryan  resumed  his  hammer,  and  La  Roche, 
following  the  snow-track  across  the  yard,  recommenced 
his  labor  of  chopping  firewood. 

Next  day,  Frank  and  Edith  made  preparations  for 
the  excursion  alluded  to  in  the  foregoing  conversation. 

The  object  for  which  this  excursion  was  undertaken 
was  twofold  ; — first,  to  ascertain  if  there  were  any  fish  in 
a  large  lake  about  ten  miles  distant  from  the  fort ;  and, 
secondly,  to  give  little  Edith  a  drive  for  the  good  of  her 
health.  Not  that  her  health  was  bad,  but  several  woeks 
of  bad  weather  had  confined  her  much  to  the  house,  and 
her  mother  thought  the  change  would  be  beneficial  and 
agreeable  ;  and  tenderly  did  that  mother's  heart  yearn 
over  her  little  child,  for  she  felt  that,  although  she  was 
all  to  Edith  that  a  mother  could  be,  nature  had  implanted 
in  her  daughter's  mind  a  longing  desire  for  the  compan 
ionship  of  little  ones  of  her  own  age,  which  could  not  be 
satisfied  by  any  substitute, — not  even  that  of  a  tender 
mother,  who  sought,  by  all  the  means  in  her  power,  to 
become  a  child  again  for  Edith's  sake. 

Immediately  after  breakfast  that  day,  Frank  took  Edith 
by  the  hand,  and  led  her  round  by  the  back  of  the  fort, 
towards  the  kennel  where  the  dogs  were  kept,  intending 


25  G  UNGAVA. 

to  release  Chimo,  who  was  to  have  the  honor  of 'hauling 
the  sledge  of  his  young  mistress.  Hi  passing  the  spring, 
Edith  paused,  as  she  had  often  done  before  during  the 
winter,  to  gaze  with  wonder  on  the  transformation  that 
had  taken  place  in  the  appearance  of  the  once  green  and 
fertile  spot.  Xot  only  was  it  covered  with  deep  snow, 
but  over  the  spring  there  was  formed  a  singular  dome 
of  ice.  This  dome  was  a  subject  of  continual  astonish 
ment  to  every  one  at  Ungava.  It  had  commenced  to 
rise  soon  after  the  first  hard  frosts  had  sealed  up  the 
little  fountain  from  the  open  air.  As  time  passed  by, 
the  covering  became  thick  ice,  and  was  bulged  gradually 
up  above  the  surrounding  waste,  until  it  readied  an  eleva 
tion  of  not  much  less  than  twelve  or  thirteen  feet.  In 
side  of  this  the  spring  bubbled  up  as  of  yore. 

"  What  think  you,  Edith  ?  "  said  Frank,  as  a  sudden 
thought  occurred  to  him ;  "  shall  I  cut  a  doorway  into 
that  crystal  house,  and  see  if  the  spirit  of  the  spring  dwells 
there  ? " 

Edith  clapped  her  hands  with  delight  at  the  idea,  and 
urged  her  companion  to  begin  at  once.  Then,  check 
ing  him  as  he  was  about  to  commence  the  work  with  his 
hatchet,  she  said  earnestly, — 

"  Do  spirits  really  dwell  in  the  springs,  Frank  ?  " 

"  Why,  Eda,  we  must  send  to  England  for  a  lot  of 
fairy  tales  to  teach  you  what  I  mean.  I  do  but  jest 
when  I  speak  of  spirits  living  there.  But  many  books 
have  been  written  about  pretended  spirits  and  fairies, 
which  tell  us  of  their  .wonderful  adventures,  and  what 
they  said  and  did  long  ago.  I  shall  tell  you  some  of 
these  stories  one  of  these  days.  But  I  dare  say  there  are 
no  spirits  in  this  spring." 

"  Faix,  an'  it  would  be  a  rale  misfortune  if  there  was, 


UXGAVA.  257 

sir,"  remarked  Bryan,  who  came  up  at  this  moment, 
and  touched  his  cap ;  "  for  it  would  be  only  sperits  and 
watlier,  which  wouldn't  kape  in  this  cowld  climate. 
I've  finished  the  ring-bolts  for  the  sled,  sir,  an'  came  to 
see  when  ye  would  have  them  fixed." 

"  Put  them  in  your  pocket,  Bryan,  for  a  few  min 
utes,  and  lend  a  hand  here  to  cut  a  hole  through  this 
dome." 

As  Frank  spoke  he  drew  his  small  axe  from  his  belt, 
and  began  to  lay  about  him  so  vigorously  that  the  icy 
splinters  flew  in  all  directions  like  a  shower  of  broken 
crystal.  Bryan  seconded  his  efforts  ;  and  in  less  than  half 
an  hour  a  block  of  solid  ice,  about  four  feet  high  and  two 
broad,  was  cut  out  and  detached  from  the  side  of  the 
dome. 

"  That'll  do,  Bryan,"  said  Frank,  when  their  work  was 
nearly  completed  ;  "  I'll  finish  it  myself  now.  Go  to  the 
carpenter's  house,  and  Franpois  will  show  you  what  to  do 
with  the  sled." 

As  Bryan  walked  away,  Frank  dealt  the  mass  of  ice 
a  blow  that  split  it  into  several  pieces,  which  he  quickly 
removed, — revealing  to  the  astonished  and  eager  gaze 
of  his  young  companion  a  cavern  of  a  most  beautiful 
light  blue  color.  Taking  Edith  by  the  hand,  he  led  her 
into  this  icy  cave.  Its  walls  were  quite  luminous  and 
delicately  blue,  except  in  places  where  the  green  moss  and 
earth  around  the  spring  had  been  torn  from  the  ground,, 
and  lifted  up  along  with  the  dome.  Icicles  hung  in 
various  places  from  the  roof,  and  the  floor  was  hard 
and  dry,  except  in  the  centre,  where  the  spring  bub 
bled  up  through  it,  and  cut  a  channel  across  towards 
one  side  of  the  icy  wall,  where  it  disappeared  under- 
the  snow. 

17 


258  UNGAVA. 

"Oh!  what  a  beautiful  palace!"  cried  Edith,  with 
delight,  after  she  had  gazed  around  her  for  a  few  minutes 
in  silent  wonder  and  admiration.  "  I  shall  come  and  live 
here,  Frank.  Oh  !  do  come,  and  let  us  get  chairs  and  a 
small  table,  and  make  it  our  sitting-room.  "VVe  can  come 
every  day  when  the  sun  shines  and  read, — or  you  can 
.tell  me  the  tales  about  spirits  and  fairies  you  spoke  of  I" 

"  A  good  idea,  Eda ;  but  I  fear  we  would  need  a  stove 
'to  keep  us  warm.  It  strikes  me  it  will  make  a  capital 
icehouse  in  spring  to  keep  our  fresh  meat  in.  It  will 
last  long  after  the  snow  is  melted." 

"  Then  we  shall  make  a  palace  of  it  in  winter  and  a 
meat-store  in  spring,"  cried  Edith,  laughing,  as  she 
walked  round  this  newly  discovered  house,  examining  its 
blue  walls  and  peeping  into  the  cold  black  spring. 
Meanwhile  Frank  examined  it  with  a  view  to  the  utili 
tarian  purpose  ;  and,  after  both  of  them  had  gone  round  it 
several  times,  they  continued  on  their  way  towards  the 
dog-kennel. 

The  sledge  which  Franfois  had  constructed  for  Edith 
was  made  after  the  model  of  those  used  by  the  Esqui 
maux.  There  were  two  stout  runners,  or  skates,  made  of 
wood,  for  sliding  over  the  snow.  These  were  slightly 
turned  up,  or  rather  rounded  up,  in  front,  and  attached  to 
.each  other  by  means  of  cross  bars  and  thin  planks  of 
wood ;  al'l  of  which  were  fastened,  not  by  nails  (for  iron 
work  snaps  like  glass  in  such  a  cold  climate  as  that  of 
Ungava),  but  by  thongs  of  undressed  seal-skin  ;  which, 
although  they  held  the  fabric  very  loosely  together  in 
appearance,  were,  nevertheless,  remarkably  strong,  and 
served  their  purpose  very  well.  Two  short  upright  bars 
behind  served  as  a  back  to  lean  against.  But  the  most 
curious  part  of  the  machine  was  the  substance  with  which 


UNGAVA.  259 

the  runners  were  shod,  in  order  to  preserve  them.  This 
was  a  preparation  of  mud  and  water,  which  was  plas 
tered  smoothly  on  in  a  soft  condition,  and  then  allowed  to 
freeze.  This  it  did  in  a  few  minutes  after  being  exposed 
to  the  open  air,  and  thus  became  a  smooth,  hard  sheath 
ing,  which  was  much  more  durable,  and  less  liable  to 
break,  than  iron,  or  indeed  any  other  sheathing  that  could 
be  devised.  This  substance  is  of  course  easily  repaired, 
and  is  always  used  by  the  Esquimaux  in  winter. 

Esquimaux  sledges,  being  heavy,  and  meant  for  carry 
ing  a  number  of  people,  require  large  teams  of  dogs. 
But  Edith's  sledge, — or  sled,  as  the  men  called  it, — was 
little.  Moreover,  Edith  herself  was  little  and  light ; 
therefore  Chimo  was  deemed  sufficiently  powerful  to 
draw  it.  So  thoroughly  correct  were  they  in  this  sup 
position,  that  when  Edith  was  seated  in  her  sledge  for  a 
trial  trip  and  Chimo  harnessed,  he  ran  away  with  her, 
and  gave  Frank  a  chase  of  half  a  mile  over  the  river  ere 
he  condescended  to  stop  in  his  wild  career. 

But  the  intended  excursion  was  suddenly  interrupted 
and  postponed  by  an  event  which  we  shall  relate  in  the 
next  chapter. 


260  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

BURIED    ALITE— BUT    NOT    KILLED— TIIE    GIANT    IN    THE    SNOW 
STORM. 

THE  event  which  prevented  the  excursion  referred  to 
in  the  last  chapter,  was  neither  more  nor  less  than 
a  snow-storm.  "  Was  that  all  ?  "  say  you,  reader  ?  Nay, 
that  was  not  all.  Independently  of  the  fact  that  it  was  a 
snow-storm,  the  like  of  which  you  have  never  seen, 
unless  you  have  travelled  in  northern  climes, — it  was  a 
snow-storm  that  produced  results.  Of  these,  more  here 
after. 

The  storm  began  with  a  sigh, — a  mysterious  sigh,  that 
swept  over  the  mountains  of  Ungava  with  a  soft,  mourn 
ful  wail,  and  died  slowly  away  in  the  distant  glen  of  the 
Caneapusca,  as  if  the  spirit  of  the  north  wind  grieved  to 
think  of  the  withering  desolation  it  was  about  to  launch 
upon  the  land. 

The  gathering  clouds  that  preceded  and  accompanied 
this  sigh  induced  Frank  Morton  to  countermand  his 
orders  for  the  intended  journey.  In  order  to  console 
Edith  for  the  disappointment,  he  went  with  her  into  the 
hall,  and,  drawing  a  low  stool  towards  the  blazing  stove, 
placed  a  draught-board  upon  it.  Then  he  placed  another 
and  a  lower  stool  beside  the  first,  on  which  he  seated 
Edith.  Spreading  a  deer-skin  robe  upon  the  ground,  he 
stretched  himself  thereon  at  full  length,  and  began  to 
arrange  the  men. 

The  hall,  which  was  formerly  such  a  comfortless  apart- 


UNGAVA.  261 

ment,  was  now  invested  with  that  degree  of  comfort 
which  always  gathers,  more  or  less,  round  a  place  that  is 
continually  occupied.  The  ceiling  was  composed  of  a 
carpet  of  deer-skin  stretched  tightly  upon  the  beams. 
The  walls  were  hung  all  round  with  the  thick  heavy 
coats  and  robes  of  leather  and  fur  belonging  to  the  in 
mates,  and  without  which  they  never  ventured  abroad. 
The  iron  stove  in  the  centre  of  the  apartment,  with  its 
pipe  to  conduct  away  the  smoke,  and  its  radiant  fire  of 
logs,  emitted  a  cheerful  glow  in  its  immediate  vicinity ; 
which  glow,  however,  was  not  intense  enough  to  melt  the 
thick  ice,  or  rather  hoarfrost,  an  inch  deep,  with  which 
the  two  windows  were  encrusted,  to  the  almost  total  ex 
clusion  of  the  view,  and  the  serious  diminution  of  the 
light.  The  door  was  padded  all  round  its  edges  with  fur, 
which  tended  to  check  the  bitter  wind  that  often  blew 
against  it,  and  tempered  the  slight  draft  that  did  force  its 
way  through.  Altogether  the  hall  at  Fort  Chimo  was 
curious  and  comfortable, — rather  shaggy  in  its  general 
appearance,  but  sound  and  trustworthy  at  bottom. 

A  small,  rough  table,  the  work  of  Frank  Morton, 
stood  close  to  the  stove ;  and  beside  it  was  seated  Mrs. 
Stanley,  with  a  soft,  yellow  deer-skin  before  her,  which 
she  was  carefully  transforming  into  a  hunting  coat  for 
her  husband.  On  another  and  a  larger  table  was  spread 
the  tea  equipage.  Those  who  would  understand  this 
aright,  must  for  tea  read  supper.  Among  fur  traders  the 
two  are  combined.  Candles — dips  made  at  the  fort — 
had  been  brought  some  time  ago  by  La  Roche,  who  en 
tered  the  hall  by  a  back  door,  which  communicated  with 
a  passage  leading  to  the  kitchen  behind. 

"  What  can  have  become  of  papa,  I  wonder  ?  "  Mrs. 
Stanley  designated  her  husband  by  this  epithet,  in  con- 


262  UNGAVA. 

sequence  of  her  desire  to  keep  up  the  fiction  of  her  be 
ing  Edith's  little  sister  or  playfellow. 

Frank  looked  up  from  the  board.  "  I  know  not,"  said 
he.  "  I  left  him  giving  some  orders  to  the  men.  We 
have  been  getting  things  made  snug  about  the  fort,  for 
we  expect  a  pretty  stiff  breeze  to-night.  Take  care, 
Eda  ;  your  crown's  in  danger." 

"  Oh  !  so  it  is,"  cried  Edith,  snatching  back  her  piece, 
and  looking  with  intense  earnestness  at  the  board. 

Frank  might  have  observed,  had  he  not  been  too 
deeply  engaged  with  his  game,  that  the  expected  stiff 
breeze  had  already  come,  and  was  whistling  round  the 
fort  with  considerable  vigor. 

"  You'll  beat  me,  Eda,  if  you  play  so  boldly,"  said 
Frank  with  a  smile.  "  There,  give  me  another  crown." 

"  And  me  too,"  said  Edith,  pushing  up  her  piece.  As 
she  spoke,  the  door  burst  open,  and  Stanley  sprang  into 
the  room. 

"  Whew  !  what  a  night !  "  he  cried,  shutting  the  door 
with  a  forcible  bang,  in  order  to  keep  out  the  snow-drift 
that  sought  to  enter  along  with  him. 

Two  moves  would  have  made  Frank  the  conqueror, 
but  the  gust  of  wind  upset  the  board,  and  scattered  the 
men  upon  the  floor. 

Stanley  looked  like  a  man  of  white  marble ;  but  the 
removal  of  his  cap,  coat,  and  leggins  produced  a  speedy 
and  entire  metamorphosis. 

"  Ho !  La  Roche ! " 

"  Oui,  monsieur." 

"  Here,  take  my  coat,  and  shake  the  snow  off  it,  and 
let's  have  supper,  as  speedily  as  may  be.  The  drafts 
without,  Frank,  are  a  little  too  powerful  for  the  draughts 
within,  I  fear.  What !  wife,  making  another  coat  ?  One 


UNGAVA.  263 

would  think  you  had  vowed  to  show  your  affection  for 
me  by  the  number  of  coats  you  made.  How  many  have 
you  perpetrated  since  we  were  married  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  ;  go  and  put  on  one  now,  and  come  to 
supper  while  it  is  hot." 

"  I'm  glad  it  is  hot,"  cried  Stanley  from  his  bedroom. 
"  One  needs  unusual  heat  within  to  make  up  for  the  cold 
without.  The  thermometer  is  30  below." 

While  the  party  in  the  hall  were  enjoying  their  even 
ing  meal,  the  men  were  similarly  employed  beside  the 
stove  in  their  own  habitation.  There  was  not  much  dif 
ference  in  the  two  apartments,  save  that  the  confusion 
in  that  of  the  men  was  much  greater,  in  consequence  of 
the  miscellaneous  mass  of  capotes,  caps,  belts,  discarded 
moccasons,  axes,  guns,  and  seal-spears,  with  which  they 
saw  fit  to  garnish  the  walls.  The  fumes  of  tobacco  were 
also  more  dense,  and  the  conversation  more  uproarious. 

"  'Tis  a  howlin'  night,"  observed  Massan,  as  a  gust  of 
more  than  usual  violence  shook  the  door  on  its  hinges. 

"  Me  tink  de  snow-drift  am  as  tick  in  de  sky  as  on  de 
ground,"  said  Oolibuck,  drawing  a  live  coal  from  the  fire 
and  lighting  his  pipe  therewith. 

"  Hould  on,  boys ! "  cried  Bryan,  seizing  his  chair 
with  both  hands,  half  in  jest  and  half  in  earnest,  as 
another  blast  shook  the  building  to  its  foundation. 

The  two  Indians  sat  like  statues  of  bronze,  smoking 
their  calumets  in  silence,  while  Gaspard  and  Prince 
rose  and  went  to  the  window.  But  the  frozen  moisture 
on  the  panes  effectually  prevented  their  seeing  out. 

It  was,  indeed,  an  awful  night, — such  a  night  as  had 
not,  until  now,  visited  the  precincts  of  Fort  Chimo. 
Viewed  from  the  rocky  platform  on  the  hill,  the  raging 
of  the  storm  was  absolutely  sublime.  The  wind  came, 


264  ITNGAVA. 

sometimes  in  short,  angry  gusts,  sometimes  in  prolonged 
roars,  through  the  narrows,  sweeping  up  clouds  of  snow 
so  dense  that  it  seemed  as  though  the  entire  mass  had 
been  uplifted  from  the  earth,  hurling  it  upwards  and 
downwards  and  in  circling  eddies,  past  the  ravines,  and 
round  the  fort,  and  launching  it  with  a  fierce  yell  into  the 
valley  of  the  Caneapusca.  The  sky  was  not  altogether 
covered  with  clouds,  and  the  broken  masses,  as  they 
rolled  along,  permitted  a  stray  moonbeam  to  dart  down 
upon  the  turmoil  beneath,  and  render  darkness  visible. 
Sometimes  the  wind  lulled  for  a  second  or  two;  as  if  to 
breathe  ;  then  it  burst  forth  again,  splitting  through  the 
mountain  gorges  with  a  shriek  of  intensity ; — the  col 
umns  of  snow  sprang  in  thousands  from  every  hollow, 
cliff,  and  glen  ;  mingled  in  wild  confusion  ;  swayed,  now 
hither,  now  thither,  in  mad  uncertainty,  and  then,  caught 
by  the  steady  gale,  pelted  on,  like  the  charging  troops 'of 
ice-land,  and  swept  across  the  frozen  plain. 

Could  human  beings  face  so  wild  a  storm  as  this  ?  Ay, 
they  could, — at  least  they  could  dare  to  try ! 

There  was  one  traveller  out  upon  the  hills  on  that  tre 
mendous  night.  The  giant  was  in  the  midst  of  it ;  but 
weak  as  the  bulrush  were  the  mighty  limbs  of  Maximus 
before  the  rushing  gale.  Several  days  previous  to  this 
the  Esquimaux  had  been  sent  down  to  his  brethren  at 
False  River,  to  procure  some  seal-meat  for  the  dogs,  and 
to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  natives,  and  their  suc 
cess  in  fishing.  On  arriving,  he  found  that  they  had  been 
so  far  successful,  that  starvation  (their  too  frequent  guest) 
had  not  yet  visited  their  dwellings  of  snow.  But  Maxi 
mus  found  the  old  woman,  who  had  formerly  saved  his  life, 
very  ill,  and  apparently  about  to  die.  Having  learned 
from  experience  the  efficacy  of  Stanley's  medicines,  he 


UNGAVA.  265 

resolved  to  procure  some  for  the  old  woman,  whom  he 
had  tenderly  watched  over  and  hunted  for  ever  since  the 
eventful  clay  of  the  attack.  His  dogs  were  exhausted 
and  could  not  return.  But  the  bold  Esquimaux  was  in 
the  prime  of  life,  and  animated  by  the  fire  of  vigorous 
youth.  The  storm  was  beginning  to  mutter  in  the  dis 
tance.  What  then  ?  Had  he  not  faced  the  blasts  of  the 
frozen  regions  many  a  time  before  ?  Without  saying  a 
word,  he  threw  a  junk  of  seal-flesh  into  his  wallet,  and, 
striding  back  upon  his  track  at  the  mountain's  base,  he 
disappeared  in  the  driving  snow. 

Before  reaching  the  fort,  however,  the  full  fury  of  the 
storm  had  bui'st  upon  him.  It  cast  him  headlong  into 
the  snow  ;  but  he  rose  and  staggered  on.  Again  it  burst 
forth,  and  again  he  fell  before  it  like  a  stately  pine.  Ris 
ing  to  his  knees,  Maximus  drew  the  hood  of  his  hairy 
garment  close  round  his  head  and  face,  and  tried  to  peer 
through  the  driving  snow  ;  but  he  could  not  see  until  a 
slight  lull  came ;  then  he  observed  a  hummock  of  ice  at  a 
short  distance,  and,  rising,  made  towards  it.  The  lulls 
were  short-lived,  however.  The  storm  threw  him  down 
again  ;  instantly  he  was  drifted  over  with  snow  ;  another 
blast  came,  lifted  the  drift  into  the  air,  and  left  the  Esqui 
maux  exposed  to  all  its  fury.  But  Maximus  was  not 
conquered.  He  rose  again,  panting,  it  is  true,  but  sturdy 
as  ever,  and  ready  to  take  advantage  of  the  next  lull.  It 
came  soon  ;  and  he  saw  a  rock,  or,  it  might  be,  the  base 
of  a  cliff,  close  at  hand.  With  a  quick  run  he  reached 
it ;  and,  going  down  on  his  knees,  began  with  his  gloved 
hands  to  scrape  a  hollow  in  the  snow.  Having  made  a 
hole  big  enough  to  contain  his  body,  he  lay  down  in  it ; 
and,  pulling  the  superincumbent  snow  down  upon  him, 
was  almost  buried  in  the  ruin.  Scarcely  had  he  drawn 


2G6  UNGAVA. 

the  hood  of  his  coat  well  over  his  face,  when  another 
burst  of  the  storm  dashed  a  column  of  curling  drift  upon 
the  rock,  and  the  place  where  he  lay  was  covered  up  ;  not 
a  wrinkle  in  the  drift  remained  to  mark  the  spot  where 
he  was  buried  ! 

All  that  night  the  storm  roared  among  the  mountains 
with  bitter  fury  ;  but  next  day  the  wind  was  subdued, 
and  the  sun  shone  brightly  on  the  gray  rocks  and  on  the 
white  wreaths  of  snow.  It  shone  in  all  the  lustre  of  an 
unclouded  winter  sky.  Not  only  did  the  sun  smile  upon 
the  scene,  but  two  mock  suns  or  parhelia,  almost  as  bright 
as  himself,  shone  on  either  side  of  him.  Yet  no  ray  of 
light  illuminated  the  dwellings  of  the  fur  traders.  All 
was  darkness  there,  until  Stanley  rose  from  his  couch  and 
lighted  a  candle,  for  the  purpose  of  examining  his  watch. 

"  Hallo  !  Frank,  Frank  ! "  he  cried,  entering  the  hall, 
while  he  hastily  threw  on  his  garments  ;  "  turn  out  man  ; 
there's  something  wrong  here.  'Tis  past  noon,  and  dark 
as  midnight.  Bring  your  watch  ;  perhaps  I'm  wrong." 

Frank  yawned  vociferously,  and  sprang  from  his  bed. 
In  two  seconds  more  he  made  his  appearance  in  his  trou 
sers  and  shirt. 

"  Past  twelve,  no  doubt  of, — yea — o — ow  !  That  ac 
counts  for  my  waking  three  times,  and  going  off  again  ; 
but—" 

"  Hey !  what  have  we  here  ?  "  cried  Stanley,  a*  he 
opened  the  front  door,  and  disclosed  to  view  a  solid  wall 
of  snow. 

"  Snowed  up  ;  dear  me  !  eh  !  that's  odd,"  said  Frank, 
beginning  to  comprehend  the  state  of  matters. 

Snowed  up  they  were,  undoubtedly  ;  so  thoroughly 
snowed  up,  that  there  was  not  a  ray  of  daylight  within 
their  dwelling.  Had  Frank  been  above  the  snow,  in- 


UNGAVA.  267 

stead  of  below  it,  he  would  have  seen  that  the  whole 
fort  was  so  completely  buried  that  nothing  was  visible 
above  the  surface  except  the  chimneys  and  the  flag 
staff.  After  the  first  few  moments  of  surprise  had 
passed,  it  occurred  to  Stanley  that  they  might  ascend 
to  the  regions  above  by  the  chimney,  which  was  wide 
enough,  he  thought,  to  admit  a  man  ;  but,  on  looking  up, 
he  found  that  it  also  was  full  of  drifted  snow.  This, 
however,  could  have  been  easily  removed ;  but  there 
was  a  bar  of  iron  stretching  across,  and  built  into  the 
clay  walls,  which  rendered  escape  by  that  passage  im 
possible. 

"  There's  nothing  for  it,  Frank,  but  to  dig  ourselves 
out ;  so  the  sooner  we  begin  the  better." 

By  this  time  they  were  joined  by  Edith  and  her 
mother,  who,  although  much  surprised,  were  not  at  all 
alarmed  ;  for  rough  travelling  in  a  wild  land  had  taught 
them  to  regard  nothing  as  being  dangerous  until  it  was 
proved  to  be  so.  Besides,  Stanley  had  assured  them 
that  they  had  nothing  to  fear,  as  the  only  evil  he  antici 
pated  would  be  the  trouble  they  were  sure  to  have  in  get 
ting  rid  of  the  superabundant  snow.  While  they  were 
talking,  the  back  door  was  opened  violently,  and  La 
Roche,  in  a  state  of  dishabille,  burst  into  the  room. 

"  Oh,  messieurs,  c'est  fini !  Oui,  le  world  him  shut  up 
tout  togedder.  Oh,  misere  !  Fat  shall  ve  to  do  ?  " 

"  Hold  your  tongue,  La  Roche,"  said  Frank,  "  and 
bring  the  kitchen  shovel." 

The  cook  instantly  turned  to  obey ;  and  as  he  rushed 
towards  the  kitchen,  his  voice  was  heard  exclaiming  in 
the  passage — 

"  Ah,  c'est  terrible  !  Mais,  I  ver'  moshe  fear,  de  shovel 
be  out  in  de  neige.  Ah,  non  ;  here  it  is.  C'est  bien." 


2(58  UNGAVA. 

Returning  in  haste  to  the  hall  he  handed  a  much  dilapi 
dated  iron  shovel  to  Frank ;  who  threw  off  his  coat,  and 
set  to  work  with  vigor.  The  tables  and  chairs,  and  all 
the  furniture,  were  removed  into  the  inner  apartments,  in 
order  to  afford  room  for  the  snow  which  Frank  dug  from 
the  open  door-way,  and  shovelled  into  the  centre  of  the 
room.  As  only  one  at  a  time  could  work  in  the  nar 
row  door-way,  the  three  men  wrought  with  the  shovel 
by  turns ;  and  while  one  was  digging  the  tunnel,  the  other 
two  piled  the  debris  in  a  compact  mound  beside  the  stove. 
As  no  fire  had  yet  been  kindled,  the  snow,  of  course,  did 
not  melt,  but  remained  crisp  and  dry  upon  the  floor. 
Meanwhile  Edith  looked  on  with  deep  interest,  and  oc 
casionally  assisted  in  piling  the  snow ;  while  her  mother, 
seeing  that  her  presence  was  unnecessary,  retired  to  her 
own  room. 

"  There,"  cried  Frank,  pausing  and  surveying  an  im 
mense  cavern  which  he  had  dug  into  the  drift ;  "  that's  a 
good  spell.  Take  a  turn  now,  La  Roche,  and  dig  up 
wards  ;  we  should  see  daylight  soon." 

"  Ah,  vraiment,  it  be  time  ;  for  it  am  von  o'clock,"  re 
plied  La  Roche,  as  he  plied  the  shovel. 

The  tunnel  was  cut  in  such  a  way  as  that,  while  it  ran 
outwards,  it  also  sloped  upwards ;  and,  from  the  angle  at 
which  it  lay,  Stanley  calculated  that  thirty  feet  or  there 
abouts  would  bring  them  to  the  surface.  In  this  he  was 
correct ;  for  when  La  Roche  had  worked  for  half  an  hour, 
the  snow  above  became  slightly  luminous.  But  the  labor 
of  conveying  it  from  the  end  of  the  tunnel  into  the  hall 
became,  of  course,  greater  as  the  work  advanced.  At 
length  the  light  penetrated  so  clearly  that  La  Roche  was 
induced  to  thrust  his  shovel  upwards,  in  the  expectation 
of  penetrating  the  mass.  The  effect  of  this  action  was 


UNO  AY  A.  269 

striking  and  unexpected.  Instantly  the  roof  fell  in,  and 
a  flood  of  sunshine  poured  into  the  tunnel,  revealing  the 
luckless  Frenchman  struggling  amid  the  ruins. 

"  Oh,  pull  me  hout ! "  he  spluttered,  as  Frank  and 
Stanley  stood  laughing  heartily  at  his  misfortune.  One 
of  his  legs  happened  to  protrude  from  the  mass  as  he 
made  this  earnest  request ;  so  Frank  seized  it,  and 
dragged  the  poor  man  by  main  force  from  his  uncom 
fortable  position.  Immediately  afterwards  they  all  three 
scrambled  through  the  aperture,  and  stood  in  open  day. 

The  sight  that  met  their  eyes  was  a  curious  though 
not  a  satisfactory  one.  All  that  remained  visible  of  Fort 
Chimo  were,  as  we  have  said,  the  chimneys  and  the  flag 
staff.  In  regard  to  the  general  aspect  of  the  neighbor 
hood,  however,  there  was  little  alteration  ;  for  the  change 
of  position  in  the  drifts  among  the  mountain  gorges,  and 
the  addition  to  their  bulk,  made  no  striking  alteration  in 
the  rugged  landscape.  In  some  places  the  gale  had 
cleared  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  and  left  their  cliffs 
exposed  to  view ;  in  other  spots  the  gorges  and  ravines 
were  choked  up,  and  the  pine  tops  nearly  covered ;  and 
the  open  water  in  the  lake  was  more  encumbered  than 
usual  with  icebergs. 

"  Now,  La  Roche,"  said  Stanley,  after  they  had  sur 
veyed  the  desolate  scene  for  a  few  minutes  in  silence, 
"  go  fetch  the  shovel,  and  we'll  dig  out  the  men.  I  dare 
say,  poor  fellows,  they're  beginning  to  wonder  at  the  length 
of  the  night  by  this  time." 

La  Roche  prepared  to  descend  into  the  tunnel,  when 
their  attention  was  arrested  by  a  strange  sound  beneath 
the  snow.  In  a  few  minutes  the  crust  began  to  crack,  at 
a  spot  not  more  than  two  yards  from  where  they  stood ; 
then  there  was  a  sudden  rupture,  accompanied  by  a  growl, 


270  UNGAVA. 

and  followed  by  the  appearance  of  the  dishevelled  head 
and  arms  of  a  man. 

"  Musha,  boys,  but  I'm  out !  "  Bryan  coughed  the  snow 
from  around  his  mouth,  and  winked  it  from  his  eyes,  as 
he  spoke.  The  first  sight  that  met  his  bewildered  gaze 
was  three  pair  of  expanded  eyeballs  and  three  double 
rows  of  grinning  teeth,  a  few  feet  from  his  face.  Utter 
ing  a  cry  of  terror,  he  fell  back  into  the  hole,  the  snow 
closed  over  him,  and  he  was  gone  ! 

It  need  scarcely  be  added  that  Frank  and  Stanley  com 
menced  to  dig  into  this  hole  with  as  much  vigor  as  their 
frequent  explosions  of  laughter  would  allow.  In  a  few 
minutes  it  was  reopened,  and  the  men  issued  one  by  one 
from  durance  vile. 

"  Och,  sirs,  ye  gave  me  a  mortial  start !  "  exclaimed 
Bryan,  as  he  rose  to  view  the  second  time.  "  I  thought 
for  sartin  ye  were  all  polar  bears.  Faix  we've  had  a  job 
o't  down  there.  I'll  be  bound  to  say  there's  twinty  ton 
o'  snow — bad  luck  to  it — in  the  middle  o'  the  floor." 

"  There's  work  for  us  here  that'll  last  two  weeks,  I 
guess,"  said  Massan,  as  he  and  several  of  the  others 
stooped  down  and  gazed  into  the  tunnel  leading  to  the 
hall,  at  the  end  of  which  Edith's  laughing  face  met  their 
view. 

"  When  did  you  awake,  and  begin  to  suspect  that 
something  was  wrong  ? "  inquired  Stanley  of  Dick 
Prince. 

"Awake  !  "  cried  Bryan,  answering  the  question,  "  we 
awoke  at  laste  a  dozen  times.  I  suppose  it  must  have 
bin  the  time  for  brikfast ;  for,  ye  see,  although  we  could 
ha'  slept  on  long  enough,  our  intariors  couldn't,  be  no 
manes,  forgit  their  needcessities." 

"  We  shall  have  to  work  a  bit  yet  ere  these  necessities 


UNGAVA.  271 

are  attended  to,  I  fear,"  said  Stanley.  "  Go,  Francois, 
and  one  or  two  of  you,  and  open  up  the  dog-kennel. 
The  rest  of  you  get  all  the  shovels  you  can  lay  hands  on, 
and  clear  out  the  houses  as  fast  as  you  can." 

'•  Clear  out  de  chimbleys  fust,  mes  gargons,"  cried  La 
Roche,  looking  up  from  the  tunnel.  "  Den  ve  vill  git 
dejeuner  ready  toute  suite." 

"  That  will  we,  lad,"  said  Bryan,  shouldering  a  spade 
and  proceeding  towards  the  chimney  of  the  hall,  while 
the  rest  of  the  party,  breaking  up  into  several  groups, 
set  to  work,  with  spades,  shovels,  and  such  implements 
as  were  suitable,  to  cut  passages  through  the  square  of 
the  fort  towards  the  doors  of  the  several  buildings.  As 
Massan  had  said,  it  proved  to  be  no  light  work.  The 
nor'west  gale  had  launched  the  snow  upon  the  exposed 
buildings  of  Fort  Chimo  until  the  drift  was  fifteen  or  six 
teen  feet  deep,  so  that  the  mere  cutting  of  passages  was 
a  matter  of  considerable  time  and  severe  labor. 

Meanwhile  Maximus  awoke,  and  sought  to  raise  him 
self  from  his  lair  at  the  foot  of  the  rock.  But  his  first 
effort  failed.  The  drift  above  him  was  too  heavy. 
Abandoning,  therefore,  the  idea  of  freeing  himself  by  main 
force,  he  turned  round  on  his  side,  and  began  to  scrape 
away  the  snow  that  was  directly  above  his  head.  The 
masses  that  accumulated  in  the  course  of  this  process  he 
forced  down  past  his  chest ;  and,  as  his  motions  tended  to 
compress  and  crush  the  drift  around  him  in  all  directions, 
he  soon  made  room  enough  to  work  with  ease.  In  ten 
minutes  he  approached  so  near  to  the  surface  as  to  be 
able,  with  a  powerful  effort,  to  burst  it  upwards,  and  step 
out  of  his  strange  dormitory  into  the  sunshine. 

This  method  of  spending  the  night  has  been  resorted 
to  more  than  once  by  arctic  travellers  who  had  lost  their 


272  UNGAVA. 


*  and  it  is  sad  to  think  that  many  who  have  perished 
might  have  saved  their  lives  had  they  known  that  bur 
rowing  could  be  practised  with  safety.  The  Esquimaux 
frequently  spend  the  night  in  this  manner ;  but  they 
prefer  building  a  snow-house  to  burrowing,  if  circum 
stances  will  permit. 

Cutting  a  slice  of  seal-meat,  and  eating  as  he  went, 
Maximus  resumed  his  journey,  and  soon  afterwards  ar 
rived  at  the  fort,  where  he  found  the  men  busied  in 
excavating  their  buried  dwellings. 

Here  he  stated  the  case  of  the  old  woman,  and  re 
ceived  such  medicines  as  Stanley,  in  his  amateur  medical 
wisdom,  saw  fit  to  bestow.  With  these  he  started  imme 
diately  to  retrace  his  steps,  having  been  directed  to  pro 
ceed,  after  administering  them,  to  the  lake  where  Frank 
meant  to  try  the  fishing  under  the  ice.  A  family  of 
Esquimaux  had  been  established  on  another  lake  not  so 
far  distant  from  the  fort ;  and,  having  been  taught  by  the 
fur  traders  how  to  set  nets  under  the  ice,  they  succeeded 
in  procuring  more  than  enough  for  their  subsistence.  It 
was  hoped,  therefore,  that  the  larger  lake  would  afford  a 
good  supply  ;  and  the  weather  having  become  decidedly 
fine,  Frank  prepared  to  set  out  on  the  following  day. 


UNGAVA.  273 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

AX  EXCURSION— IGLOE  BUILDING,  AND  FISHING  UNDER  THE  ICE 
—A  SNOW  TABLE  AXD  A  GOOD  FEAST— EDITH  SPENDS  THE 
XIGIIT  UXDEH  A  SNOW  ROOF  FOR  THE  FIRST  BUT  XOT  THE 
LAST  TIME. 

NOW,  then,  Edith,"  cried  Frank,  looking  in  at  the 
door  of  the  hall,  "  your  carriage  waits,  and  Chimo 
is  very  restive." 

"  Coming,  coming,"  exclaimed  a  treble  voice  within  ; 
•'  I'm  getting  new  lines  put  to  my  snow-shoes,  and  will 
be  ready  in  two  minutes." 

Two  minutes,  translated  into  female  language,  means 
ten,  sometimes  twenty.  Frank  knew  this,  and  proceeded 
to  re-adjust  the  sash  that  secured  his  leathern  capote,  as 
he  walked  towards  the  little  sledge  in  front  of  the  fort, 
lie  then  tied  down  the  ear-pieces  of  his  fur  cap  more 
carefully,  for  it  was  very  cold,  though  clear  and  sunny. 
The  frost  had  set  fast  the  lake  opposite  the  fort,  and,  by 
thus  removing  the  frost-cloud  that  overhung  the  open 
water  farther  out  to  sea,  relieved  the  fort  from  the  mists 
in  which  it  was  usually  enveloped.  By  this  time  fifteen 
out  of  the  "  two  "  minutes  having  elapsed,  he  reexamined 
the  locks  of  his  gun,  and  adjusted  the  warm  deer-skin 
robe  on  Edith's  little  sledge,  patted  Chimo  on  the  head, 
looked  up  at  the  clouds,  and  began  to  whistle. 

•'Now,  Frank,  here  I  am,"  cried  Edith,  running 
towards  him  with  her  snow-shoes  in  her  hand,  fol 
lowed  by  her  father  and  mother. 

•'  Quiet,  Chimo, — down,  sir,"  said  Frank,  restraining 

18 


274  UNGAVA. 

the  dog  as  it  sought  to  bound  towards  its  mistress.  Being 
harnessed  to  the  sledge,  this  was  a  very  improper  pro 
ceeding,  and  was  rebuked  accordingly  ;  so  Chi  mo  was 
fain  to  crouch  on  the  snow  and  look  back  at  Edith  as 
Frank  placed  her  in  the  sledge,  and  arranged  the  deer 
skin  robes  round  her. 

Edith  wore  a  long  fur  cloak  and  cloth  leggins.  Her 
feet  were  protected  from  the  cold  by  two  pair  of  blanket 
socks,  besides  very  thick  moccasons  of  deer-skin.  The 
usual  head-dress  of  civilized  females  in  these  regions  is  a 
round  fur  cap  ;  but  Edith  had  a  peculiar  affection  for  the 
Cree  Indian  head-dress,  and,  upon  the  present  occasion, 
wore  one  which  was  lined  with  fur  and  accommodated 
with  ear-pieces,  to  defy  the  winter  cold.  The  child's  gen 
eral  appearance  was  somewhat  rotund.  Painters  would 
probably  have  said  there  was  a  little  too  much  breadth, 
perhaps,  in  the  picture.  Her  pointed  cap,  however,  with 
the  little  bow  of  ribbon  on  the  top,  gave  her  a  piquant 
air,  and  did  away  with  the  heavy  appearance  of  her  cos 
tume  to  some  extent ;  in  fact,  Edith  looked  like  a  fat 
little  witch.  But  if  she  looked  fat  before  being  wrapped 
up  in  the  sledge  furs,  she  looked  infinitely  fatter  when 
thus  placed,  and  nothing  of  her  visible  except  her  two 
twinkling  eyes.  So  grotesque  was  she  that  the  whole 
party  burst  into  a  loud  laugh  as  they  surveyed  her.  The 
laugh  made  Chimo  start  off  at  full  gallop,  which  caused 
Frank  to  grasp  the  line  of  the  sledge  that  trailed  behind, 
and  hurry  over  the  snow  at  a  most  undignified  pace. 

"  Take  care  of  her  !  "  cried  Mr.  Stanley. 

"  Ay,  ay  !  "  shouted  Frank.  "  Softly,  Chimo,— softly, 
you  rascal !  " 

In  ten  minutes  the  travellers  were  round  the  point  and 
fairly  out  of  sight ;  but  the  shouts  of  Frank,  and  an  oc- 


UXGAVA.  275 

casional  howl  from  Chimo,  floated  back  on  the  breeze  as 
Stanley  and  his  wife  returned  leisurely  to  the  hall. 

The  road,  or  rather  the  ground,  over  which  Frank 
Morton  drove  Edith  that  day,  was  exceedingly  rough 
and  rugged, — so  rough  that  we  will  not  try  the  endur 
ance  of  the  reader  by  dragging  him  over  it.  We  will 
merely  indicate  its  general  features.  First  of  all,  they 
drove  about  three  miles  along  the  level  snow  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountains.  So  far  the  road  was  good ;  and  Chimo 
went  along  merrily  to  the  music  of  the  little  thimble-like 
bra-s  bells  with  which  his  harness  was  garnished.  Then 
they  came* to  a  ravine,  and  Edith  had  to  get  out,  put  on 
her  snow-shoes,  and  clamber  up,  holding  by  Frank's 
hand ;  while  Chimo  followed,  dragging  the  sledge  as  he 
best  could.  Having  gained  one  of  the  terraces,  Edith 
slipped  her  feet  out  of  the  snow-shoe  lines,  jumped  into 
the  sledge,  and  was  swept  along  to  the  next  ravine, 
where  she  got  out  again,  resumed  her  snow-shoes,  and 
ascended  as  before.  Thus  they  went  up  the  ravines  and 
along  the  terraces  until  the  summit  of  the  first  mountain 
range  was  readied.  Having  rested  here  a  few  minutes, 
Editli  once  more  got  into  the  sledge,  and  Chimo  set  off. 
But  as  there  was  now  a  long  piece  of  level  ground  over 
which  for  some  miles  they  could  travel  in  the  direction 
of  the  coast,  Frank  took  the  sled-line  in  his  hand,  and 
held  the  dog  at  a  quick  walking  pace.  Afterwards  they 
turned  a  little  farther  inland,  and  came  into  a  more 
broken  country,  where  they  had  sometimes  to  mount  and 
sometimes  to  descend  the  hills.  There  were  many  gorges 
and  narrow  fissures  in  the  ground  here,  some  of  which 
were  covered  over  and  so  concealed  with  snow  that  the 
travellers  ran  some  risk  of  falling  into  them.  Indeed, 
at  one  place,  so  narrow  was  their  escape  that  Chimo  fell 


276  UNGAVA. 

through  the  crust  of  snow,  and  disappeared  into  a  fissure 
which  descended  a  hundred  feet  sheer  down  ;  and  the 
sledge  would  certainly  have  followed  had  not  Frank  held 
it  back  by  the  line  ;  and  Chimo  was  not  hauled  up  again 
without  great  difficulty.  After  this,  Frank  went  in  front 
with  a  pole,  and  sounded  the  snow  in  dangerous-looking 
places  as  he  went  along. 

Towards  the  afternoon  they  arrived  at  the  lake  where 
they  intended  to  encamp,  and,  to  their  great  delight, 
found  Maximus  there  already.  He  had  only  arrived  a 
few  minutes  before  them,  and  was  just  going  to  com 
mence  the  erection  of  a  snow  house. 

"  Glad  to  see  you,  Maximus,"  cried  Frank,  as  he  drove 
up.  "  How's  the  old  woman,  eh  ?  " 

"  She  small  better,"  replied  Maximus,  assisting  Edith 
to  alight.  "  Dis  goot  for  fish." 

Maximus  was  a  remarkably  intelligent  man,  and,  al 
though  his  residence  at  the  fort  had  been  of  short  dura 
tion  as  yet,  he  had  picked  up  a  few  words  of  English. 

"A  good  lake,  I  have  no  doubt,"  replied  Frank,  look 
ing  round.  "  But  we  need  not  search  for  camping 
ground.  There  seems  to  be  very  little  wood,  so  you 
may  as  well  build  our  hut  on  the  ice.  We  shall  need  all 
our  time,  as  the  sun  has  not  long  to  run." 

The  lake,  on  the  edge  of  which  they  stood,  was  about 
a  mile  in  circumference,  and  lay  in  a  sort  of  natural 
basin  formed  by  savage-looking  hills,  in  which  the 
ravines  were  little  more  than  narrow  fissures,  entirely 
devoid  of  trees.  Snow  encompassed  and  buried  every 
thing,  to  that  nothing  was  to  be  seen  except,  here  and 
there,  crags  and  cliffs  of  gray  rock,  which  were  too  pre 
cipitous  for  the  snow  to  rest  on. 

"  Now,  Eda,  I  will  take  a  look  among  these  rocks  for 


UNGAVA.  277 

a  ptarmigan  for  supper ;  so  you  can  amuse  yourself 
watching  Maximus  build  our  house  till  I  return." 

"  Very  well,  Frank,"  said  Edith  ;  "  but  don't  be  long. 
Come  back  before  dark ;  Chimo  and  I  will  weary  for 
you." 

In  a  few  minutes  Frank  disappeared  among  the  rocks 
upon  the  shore  ;  and  Maximus,  taking  Edith  by  the 
hand,  and  dragging  her  sledge  after  him,  led  her  a 
couple  of  hundred  yards  out  on  to  the  ice,  or,  more 
properly  speaking,  the  hard  beaten  snow  with  which 
the  ice  was  covered.  Chimo  had  been  turned  loose,  and, 
being  rather  tired  after  his  journey,  had  coiled  himself 
up  on  a  mound  of  snow  and  fallen  fast  asleep. 

"  Dis  place  for  house,"  said  Maximus,  pausing  near  a 
smooth,  level  part  of  the  lake.  "  You  stop  look  to  me," 
he  added,  turning  to  the  little  girl,  who  gazed  up  in  his 
large  face  with  an  expression  half  of  wonder  and  half  of 
fun.  "  When  you  cold,  run  ;  when  you  hot,  sit  in  sled 
and  look  to  me." 

In  compliance  with  this  request,  Edith  sat  down  in  her 
sledge,  and  from  this  comfortable  point  of  view  watched 
the  Esquimaux  while  he  built  a  snow  hut  before  her. 

First  of  all,  he  drew  out  a  long  iron  knife,  which  had 
been  constructed  specially  for  him  by  Bryan,  who  looked 
upon  the  giant  with  special  favor.  With  the  point  of  this 
he  drew  a  circle  of  about  seven  feet  in  diameter,  and  so 
well  accustomed  was  he  to  this  operation,  that  his  circle, 
we  believe,  could  not  have  been  mended  even  by  a  pair 
of  compasses.  Two  feet  to  one  side  of  this  circle  he 
drew  a  smaller  one,  of  about  four  feet  in  diameter. 
Jsext,  he  cut  out  of  the  snow  a  number  of  hard  blocks, 
which  were  so  tough  that  they  could  not  be  broken  with 
out  a  severe  blow,  but  were  as  easily  cut  as  you  might 


278  UXGAVA. 

have  sliced  a  soft  cheese  with  a  sharp  knife.  These 
blocks  he  arranged  round  the  large  circle,  and  built  them 
above  each  other,  fashioning  them,  as  he  proceeded,  in 
such  a  manner  that  they  gradually  rose  into  the  form  of 
a  dome.  The  chinks  between  them  he  filled  compactly 
with  soft  snow,  and  the  last  block,  introduced  into  the  top 
of  the  structure,  was  formed  exactly  on  the  principle  of 
the  keystone  of  an  arch.  When  the  large  dome  was 
finished,  he  commenced  the  smaller ;  and  in  the  course  of 
two  hours  both  the  houses — or,  as  the  Esquimaux  call 
them,  igloes — were  completed. 

Long  before  this,  however,  Frank  had  returned,  from 
an  unsuccessful  hunt,  to  assist  him  ;  and  Edith  had  won 
dered  and  wearied,  grown  cold  and  taken  to  running  with 
Chimo,  and  grown  warm  and  returned  to  her  sledge 
several  times.  Two  holes  were  left  in  the  igloes  to  serve 
as  doors  ;  and  after  they  were  finished,  the  Esquimaux 
cut  a  square  hole  in  the  top  of  each,  not  far  from  the 
keystones,  and  above  the  entrances.  Into  these  he  fitted 
slabs  of  clear  ice,  which  formed  windows  as  beautiful  and 
useful  as  if  they  had  been  made  of  glass.  There  were 
two  door-ways  in  the  large  igloe,  one  of  which  faced  the 
door-way  of  the  smaller.  Between  these  he  built  an 
arched  passage,  so  that  the  two  were  thus  connected,  and 
the  small  hut  formed  a  sort  of  inner  chamber  to  the 
larger. 

"  Now,  dem  done,"  said  Maximus,  surveying  his  work 
with  a  satisfied  smile. 

"And  very  well  done  they  are,"  said  Frank.  "  See 
here,  Eda,  our  snow  fort  is  finished.  This  big  one  is  to 
be  the  grand  hall  and  banqueting-room,  and  yonder  little 
hut  is  your  private  boudoir." 

"  Mine  !  "  exclaimed  Edith,  running  away  from  Chimo, 


UNGAVA.  279 

with  whom  she  had  been  playing,  and  approaching  the 
new  houses  that  had  been  so  speedily  put  up.  "  Oh,  how 
nice  !  what  fun  !  only  think  ! — a  snow  bedroom  !  But 
won't  it  be  cold,  Frank  ?  And  is  the  bed  to  be  of  snow 
too?" 

The  black  mustache  of  the  giant  curled  with  a  smile 
at  the  energy  with  which  this  was  said. 

"  We  will  make  the  bedsteads  of  snow,  Eda,"  replied 
Frank.  "  but  I  think  we  shall  manage  to  find  blankets  of 
a  warmer  material.  Now.  Maximus,  get  the  things  put 
inside,  and  the  lamp  lighted,  for  we're  all  tired  and  very 
hungry." 

The  lamp  to  which  Frank  referred  was  one  which 
Maximus  had  brought,  along  with  a  few  other  articles, 
from  the  Esquimaux  camp.  It  was  made  of  soft  stone, 
somewhat  in  the  form  of  a  half  moon,  about  eight  inches 
long  and  three  broad,  and  hollowed  out  in  the  inside. 
Esquimaux  burn  seal  fat  in  it;  and,  in  winter,  have  no 
other  means  of  warming  their  houses  or  cooking  their 
food.  But  for  both  purposes  it  is  quite  sufficient.  The 
heat  created  by  these  lamps,  combined  with  the  natural 
warmth  of  the  inhabitants,  is  frequently  so  great  in  the 
igloes  of  the  Esquimaux,  that  they  are  fain  to  throw  off 
a  great  portion  of  their  upper  garments,  and  sit  in  a  state 
of  partial  nudity;  yet  the  snow  walls  do  not  melt,  owing 
to  the  counteracting  influence  of  the  intense  cold  without. 

Maximus  had  brought  some  seal  fat,  or  blubber,  along 
with  him.  A  portion  of  this  he  now  put  into  the  lamp ; 
and,  placing  the  latter  on  a  snow  shelf  prepared  expressly 
for  it,  he  set  it  on  fire.  The  flame,  although  not  very 
steady,  was  bright  enough  to  illuminate  the  large  igloe, 
and  to  throw  a  strong  gleam  into  the  smaller  one.  Over 
this  lamp  Frank  placed  a  small  tin  kettle,  filled  with 


280  UXGAVA. 

snow,  which  was  speedily  converted  into  water ;  and 
while  this  was  being  boiled,  he  assisted  Edith  in  spread 
ing  out  the  bedding.  As  we  have  already  said,  the  floor 
of  this  snow  house  was  of  the  same  material  as  the  walls. 
But  one  half  of  it  was  raised  about  a  foot  above  the  other 
half,  according  to  Esquimaux  rules  of  architecture.  This 
elevated  half  was  intended  for  the  bed.  which  consisted  of 
a  large  deer-skin  robe,  spread  entirely  over  it,  with  the 
soft  hair  upwards.  Another  large  robe  was  placed  above 
this  for  a  blanket,  and  a  smaller  one  either  for  a  pillow 
or  an  additional  covering  if  required ;  but  both  of  these 
were  tossed  down  in  a  heap  at  the  present  time,  to  form 
a  luxurious  seat  for  Frank  and  Edith.  As  their  legs 
hung  over  the  edge  of  the  elevated  couch,  they  were  thus 
seated,  as  it  were,  on  an  ottoman.  A  mat  of  interlaced 
willows  covered  the  floor,  and  on  this  sat  Maximus,  tow 
ering  in  his  hairy  garments  like  a  huge  bear,  while  his 
black  shadow  was  cast  on  the  pure  white  wall  behind 
him.  In  the  midst  stood  a  small  table,  extemporized  by 
Frank  out  of  a  block  of  snow,  and  covered  with  the 
ample  skirt  of  his  leathern  top-coat,  which  the  increasing 
temperature  of  the  air  inside  the  igloe  rendered  too 
warm. 

Beside  Edith,  on  the  most  comfortable  portion  of  the 
ottoman,  sat  Chimo,  with  an  air  of  majestic  solemnity, 
looking,  as  privileged  dogs  always  do  look  under  like  cir 
cumstances,  as  if  the  chief  seat  belonged  to  him  as  a 
matter,  not  of  favor,  but  of  right.  On  the  table  was 
spread  a  solid  lump  of  excellent  pemmican  ; — excellent, 
because  made  by  the  fair  hands  of  Mrs.  Stanley.  It 
stood  vis-a-vis  to  a  tin  plate  whereon  lay  three  large 
sfeaming  cuts  of  boiled  fresh  salmon ; — fresh,  because, 
although  caught  some  months  before,  it  had  been  frozen 


TJXGAVA.  281 

soli<l  ever  since.  There  was  a  large  tin  kettle  of  hot  tea 
in  the  centre  of  the  board, — if  under  the  circumstances 
we  may  use  the  term, — and  three  tin  cups  out  of  which 
to  drink  it ;  besides  a  plate  containing  broken  pieces  of 
ship-biscuit  and  a  small  quantity  of  sugar  wrapped  up  in 
a  morsel  of  paper.  Also  a  little  salt  in  a  tin  box. 

All  these  things,  and  tempting  delicacies,  had  up  till 
now  been  contained  within  the  compass  of  a  small,  com 
pact,  insignificant-looking  parcel,  which  during  the  jour 
ney  had  occupied  a  retiring  position  in  the  hinder  part 
of  Edith's  sledge, — so  true  is  it  that  the  really  great  and 
the  useful  court  concealment  until  duty  calls  them  forth 
and  reveals  their  worth  and  their  importance  to  an  admir 
ing  world.  The  admiring  world  on  the  present  occasion, 
however,  consisted  only  of  Frank,  Edith,  Maximus,  and 
Chimo  ;  unless,  indeed,  we  may  include  the  moon,  who 
at  that  moment  poured  her  bright  beams  through  the 
ice  window  of  the  hut  and  flooded  the  centre  of  the 
snow  table  with  light. 

"  Aren't  we  snug,  Eda  ?  "  cried  Frank,  as  he  filled  her 
tin  with  tea.  "  What  a  charming  house  !  and  so  cheap, 
too  !  There's  sugar  beside  you.  Take  care  you  don't 
use  salt  by  mistake.  Maximus,  hold  out  your  pannikin. 
That's  the  true  beverage  to  warm  your  heart  if  you  take 
it  hot  enough." 

"  Tankee,  sur,"  said  the  giant,  extending  his  cup  with 
one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  forced  into  his  capa 
cious  mouth  as  much  pemmican  as  it  could  hold. 

"  Frank,"  said  Edith,  "  we  must  build  an  igloe  at  the 
fort  when  we  return." 

"  So  we  will,  now  that  I  know  how  to  do  it, — hand  me 
the  salt,  please,  and  poke  Chimo's  nose  away  from  the 
salmon ; — yes,  and  we'll  invite  papa  and  mamma  to  come 


282  UXGAVA. 

and  take  supper  at  our  house.  Maximtis,  is  this  the  ex 
act  Avay  your  friends  build  their  winter  houses  ?  " 

"  Yis,  sur,"  answered  the  Esquimaux,  looking  up  from 
the  cut  of  salmon  which  he  lifted  with  his  fingers  in 
preference  to  a  fork  or  knife.  "  Dey  always  bnil'  um 
so.  But  not  dis  ting,"  he  added,  touching  the  snow 
table. 

"  No,  I  suppose  not,"  said  Frank ;  "  I  flatter  myself 
that  that  is  a  recent  improvement." 

"We  do  great  many  igloe  sometime,"  continued  Maxi- 
mus,  "  vid  two,  t'ree,  four, — plenty  pass'ges  goin'  into 
von  a-doder." 

"What  does  he  mean  by  that?"  inquired  Edith, 
laughing. 

"  I  suppose  he  means  that  they  connect  a  number  of 
their  igloes  together  by  means  of  passages. — And  do  they 
keep  them  as  clean  and  snug  as  this,  Maximus  ?  " 

The  Esquimaux  replied  by  a  loud  chuckle,  and  a  full 
display  of  his  magnificent  teeth ;  which  Frank  under 
stood  to  signify  a  decided  negative. 

When  supper  was  ended,  Chimo  was  permitted  to  de 
vour  the  scraps,  while  Frank  assisted  Edith  to  arrange 
her  little  dormitory.  It  was  much  the  same  in  its  ar 
rangements  as  the  larger  apartment,  and  was  really  as 
comfortable  and  warm  as  one  could  desire.  Returning 
to  the  large  apartment,  Frank  spread  out  the  couch  on 
which  he  and  Maximus  were  to  repose,  and  then,  sitting 
down  beside  the  stone  lamp,  he  drew  forth  his  Bible,  as 
was  his  wont,  and  began  to  read. 

Soon  after  lying  down,  Edith  heard  the  deep  voices 
of  her  companions  engaged  in  earnest  conversation  ;  but 
these  sounds  gradually  died  away,  and  she  fell  asleep  to 
dream  of  her  berry-ravine  at  Fort  Chimo.  As  the  night 


UNGAVA.  283 

wore  on,  the  deep  breathing  of  the  men  told  that  they 
too  had  sought  and  found  repose.  The  lamp  burned 
slowly  down  and  went  out ;  and,  when  the  moon  threw 
her  parting  rays  over  the  scene,  there  was  nothing  to 
tell  of  the  presence  of  human  beings  in  that  cold,  wild 
spot,  save  two  little  white  mounds  on  the  frozen  lake 
below. 


284  UXGAVA. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

FRANK   MORTOX    GETS    INTO    DIFFICULTIES. 

ClIIMO'S  loud  bark  and  the  angry  snarl  of  a  large 
wolf,  as  it  darted  away  to  seek  the  shelter  of  the 
hills,  were  the  sounds  that  awoke  our  travellers  in  the 
gray  dawn  of  the  following  morning. 

Frank  started  up,  seized  his  gun,  and  darted  through 
the  door-way  of  the  igloe  ;  in  doing  which  he  dashed 
the  door  of  snow  to  atoms.  lie  had  only  the  satisfac 
tion,  however,  of  seeing  the  wolfs  tail  flourish  in  the 
air,  as  the  animal  bounded  over  a  snow-drift  and  disap 
peared  in  a  ravine. 

"  Ha  !  how  cold  it  is  !  "  he  exclaimed,  reentering  the 
igloe  hastily  ;  for,  having  issued  forth  without  his  coat  or 
cap,  the  two  minutes  during  which  he  stood  exposed  to 
the  open  air  cooled  him  down  nearly  to  the  freezing 
point.  "  Hallo  !  Maximus,  jump  up — light  the  lamp 
while  I  fill  the  kettle.  Heyday  !  it  solidifies  the  very 
marrow  in  one's  bones.  Ho !  Edith,  up  with  you, 
lazy  thing ;  here  has  been  a  wolf  to  bid  you  good- 
morrow." 

While  Frank  rattled  on  thus  he  belted  his  leathern 
coat  round  him,  put  on  his  fur  cap,  and  prepared  break 
fast  ;  while  Edith  rose  and  resumed  the  cap  and  cloak 
which  she  had  put  off  on  lying  down  to  rest. 

"  Maximus,"  said  Frank,  after  the  first  duties  of  the 


UXGAVA.  285 

4 

day  were  concluded,  "  we  must  now  go  and  set  the  hooks  ; 
but  as  cutting  holes  in  the  ice  will  occupy  you  some  time, 
I'll  take  a  short  walk  along  the  margin  of  the  lake  with 
my  gun.  Be  careful  of  Edith  till  I  return." 

So  saying,  Frank  went  off,  taking  Chimo  along  with 
him,  while  Maxim  us  seized  the  axe  and  ice-chisel  and 
began  the  laborious  process  of  digging  through  to  the 
water.  The  ice  on  the  lake  was  five  feet  thick  ;  but  by 
dint  of  great  perseverance  the  Esquimaux  succeeded  in 
making  several  holes  through  it  ere  Frank  returned. 
Each  hole  was  large  enough  to  contain  the  body  of  a 
man,  but  a  little  wider  above  than  below.  In  these  holes 
were  set  stout  cod-lines,  with  hooks  of  about  half  an  inch 
or  more  in  diameter.  They  were  made  of  white  metal 
and  clumsy  enough  to  look  at ;  but  fish  in  the  lakes 
of  Ungava  are  not  particular.  These  hooks  were  baited 
with  lumps  of  seal  fat ;  and  ere  half  an  hour  elapsed 
the  success  of  the  anglers  was  very  decided  and  satis 
factory. 

Frank  hauled  up  a  white-fish  of  about  six  pounds 
weight  at  the  first  dip ;  and  scarcely  had  he  thrown  it 
on  the  ice  when  Maximus  gave  a  galvanic  start,  hauled 
up  his  line  a  few  yards  with  laughable  eagerness,  then 
stopped  suddenly,  under  the  impression,  apparently,  that 
it  was  a  false  alarm  ;  but  another  tug  set  him  again  in 
motion,  and  in  three  seconds  he  pulled  a  fine  lake-trout 
of  about  ten  pounds  weight  out  of  the  hole.  Edith,  also, 
who  had  a  line  under  her  care,  began  to  show  symptoms 
of  expectation. 

"  Capital ! "  cried  Frank,  beating  his  hands  violently 
against  his  shoulders, — for  handling  wet  lines  with  the 
thermometer  at  twenty  below  zero  is  decidedly  cold 
work, — "  Capital !  we  must  set  up  a  regular  fishery  here, 


286  UXGAVA. 

4 

I  think  ;  the  fish  are  swarming.     There's  another, — eh  ? 
no — he's  off — " 

"  Oh  !  oh  ! !  oh  ! ! !  "  shrieked  Edith  in  mingled  fear 
and  excitement,  as,  at  each  successive  "  oh  ! "  she  received 
a  jerk  that  well-nigh  pulled  her  into  the  ice-hole. 

"  Hold  hard,"  cried  Frank ;  "  now  then,  haul  away." 
Edith  pulled,  and  so  did  the  fish ;  but  as  it  was  not  more 
than  five  pounds  weight  or  so,  she  overcame  it  after  a 
severe  struggle,  and  landed  a  white-fish  on  the  ice. 

The  next  shout  that  Edith  gave  was  of  so  very  decided 
and  thrilling  a  character  that  Frank  and  Maximus  darted 
to  her  side  in  alarm,  and  the  latter  caught  the  line  as  it 
was  torn  violently  from  her  grasp.  For  a  few  minutes 
the  Esquimaux  had  to  allow  the  line  to  run  out,  being 
unable  to  hold  the  fish, — at  least  without  the  risk  of 
breaking  his  tackle  ;  but  in  a  few  seconds  the  motion  of 
the  line  became  less  rapid,  and  Maximus  held  on,  while 
his  huge  body  was  jerked  violently,  notwithstanding  his 
weight  and  strength.  Soon  the  line  relaxed  a  little,  and 
Maximus  ran  away  from  the  hole  as  fast  as  he  could, 
drawing  the  line  after  him.  "When  the  fish  reached  the 
hole,  it  offered  decided  resistance  to  such  treatment ;  and 
being  influenced,  apparently,  by  the  well-known  proverb, 
h  Time  about's  fair  play,"  it  darted  away  in  its  turn,  caus 
ing  the  Esquimaux  to  give  it  line  again  very  rapidly. 

"  He  must  be  an  enormously  big  fellow,"  said  Frank,  as 
he  and  Edith  stood  close  to  the  hole  watching  the  strug 
gle  with  intense  interest. 

The  Esquimaux  gave  a  broad  grin. 

"  Yis,  he  most  very  biggest, — hie  !  " 

The  cause  of  this  exclamation  of  surprise  was  the 
slacking  of  the  line  so  suddenly  that  Maximus  was  in 
duced  to  believe  the  fish  had  escaped. 


UXGAVA.  287 

"  Him  go  be-off.     Ho  yis  ! " 

But  he  was  wrong.  Another  violent  tug  convinced 
him  that  the  fish  was  still  a  captive — though  an  unwill 
ing  one, — and  the  struggle  was  renewed.  In  about  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  Maximus  dragged  this  refractory 
fish  slowly  into  the  hole,  and  its  snout  appeared  above 
water. 

"  Oh  !  ivJtat  a  fish  !  "  exclaimed  Edith. 

"  Put  in  de  spear,"  cried  the  Esquimaux. 

Frank  caught  up  a  native  spear  which  Maximus  had 
provided,  and  just  as  the  fish  was  about  to  recommence 
the  struggle  for  its  life,  he  transfixed  it  through  the  gills, 
and  pinned  it  to  the  side  of  the  ice-hole.  The  battle 
was  over ;  a  few  seconds  sufficed  to  drag  the  fish  from 
its  native  element  and  lay  it  at  full  length  on  the 
ice. 

And  few  anglers  have  ever  had  the  pleasure  of  behold 
ing  such  a  prize.  It  was  a  trout  of  fully  sixty  pounds 
weight ;  and  although  such  fish  are  seldom  if  ever  found 
in  other  parts  of  the  world,  they  are  by  no  means  uncom 
mon  in  the  lakes  of  North  America. 

Having  secured  this  noble  fish,  Maximus  cut  it  open 
and  cleaned  it,  after  which  it  was  left  to  freeze.  The 
other  fish  were  then  similarly  treated ;  and  while  the  Es 
quimaux  was  thus  engaged,  Frank  and  Edith  continued 
their  sport.  But  daylight,  in  these  far  northern  regions, 
is  very  short-lived  in  winter,  and  they  were  soon  com 
pelled  unwillingly  to  leave  off. 

"  Now,  Maximus,"  said  Frank,  as  they  rolled  up  their 
lines,  "  I  don't  intend  to  keep  you  longer  with  us.  Edith 
and  I  can  manage  the  fishing  very  well,  so  you  may 
return  to  your  friends,  at  False  River,  and  take  the  seal 
flesh  for  the  dogs  up  to  the  fort.  Get  the  loan  of  some 


288  UXGAVA. 

of  their  dogs  and  a  sled  to  haul  it ;  and  come  round  this 
way  in  passing,  so  as  to  pick  up  any  fish  we  may  have 
ready  for  you.  The  rnoon  will  be  up  in  a  little  while,  so 
be  off  as  fast  as  you  can." 

In  obedience  to  these  orders,  Maximus  packed  up  a 
small  quantity  of  provisions,  and  bidding  good-by  to  his 
two  friends,  set  off  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  to  the 
coast. 

That  night  Frank  and  his  little  charge  sat  down  to 
sup  together  in  the  igloe  at  the  head  of  their  snow  table, 
and  Chimo  acted  the  part  of  croupier  in  the  room  of  the 
Esquimaux.  And  a  pleasant  evening  they  spent,  chat 
ting,  and  laughing,  and  telling  stories,  by  the  light  of  the 
stone  lamp,  the  mellow  flame  of  which  shed  a  warm  influ 
ence  over  the  sparkling  dome  of  snow.  Before  retiring 
to  rest,  Frank  said  that  they  must  be  up  with  the  first 
light,  for  he  meant  to  have  a  hard  day's  fishing ;  but  man 
little  knows  what  a  day  may  bring  forth.  Neither  FVank 
nor  Edith  dreamed  that  night  of  the  events  that  were  to 
happen  on  the  morrow. 

On  awaking  in  the  morning  they  were  again  roused  by 
the  voice  of  the  wolf  which  had  visited  them  the  day 
before.  In  order  to  catch  this  wolf,  Maximus  had,  just 
before  starting,  constructed  a  trap  peculiar  to  the  Esqui 
maux.  It  was  simply  a  hole  dug  down  through  the  ice 
at  the  edge  of  the  lake,  not  far  from  the  igloe.  This  hole 
was  just  wide  enough  to  admit  the  body  of  a  wolf,  and 
the  depth  sufficient  to  render  it  absolutely  impossible  for 
the  animal  to  thrust  his  snout  to  the  bottom,  however 
long  his  neck  might  be.  At  the  bottom  a  tempting  piece 
of  blubber,  in  very  high  condition,  was  placed.  The 
result  of  this  ingenious  arrangement  was  most  successful, 
and,  we  may  add,  inevitable.  Attracted  by  the  smell  of 


UNGAVA.  289 

the  meat,  our  friend  the  wolf  came  trotting  down  to  the 
lake  just  about  daybreak,  and  sneaked  suspiciously  up 
to  the  trap.  He  peeped  in  and  licked  his  lips  with  satis 
faction  at  the  charming  breakfast  below.  One  would  have 
thought,  as  he  showed  his  formidable  white  teeth,  that  he 
was  laughing  with  delight.  Then,  spreading  out  his  fore 
legs  so  as  to  place  his  breast  on  the  ice,  he  thrust  his 
head  down  into  the  hole  and  snapped  at  the  coveted  blub 
ber.  But  he  had  mistaken  the  depth,  and  blaming  him 
self,  no  doubt,  for  his  stupidity,  he  slid  a  little  farther  for 
ward,  and  pushed  his  head  deeper  down.  What !  not  at 
it  yet  ?  Oh  !  this  is  preposterous  !  Under  this  impres 
sion  he  rose,  shook  himself,  and,  advancing  his  shoulders 
as  far  as  prudence  would  allow,  again  thrust  down  his 
head  and  stretched  his  neck  until  the  very  sinews  cracked. 
Then  it  was,  but  not  till  then,  that  the  conviction  was 
forced  on  him  that  that  precious  morsel  was  totally  and 
absolutely  beyond  his  reach  altogether.  Drawing  him 
self  back  he  sat  down  on  his  haunches  and  uttered  a 
snarling  bark  of  dissatisfaction.  But  the  odor  that 
ascended  from  that  hole  was  too  much  for  the  powers 
of  wolfish  nature  to  resist.  Showing  his  teeth  with  an 
expression  of  mingled  disappointment  and  ferocity,  he 
plunged  his  head  into  the  hole  once  more.  Deeper  and 
deeper  still  it  went,  but  the  blubber  was  yet  three  inches 
from  his  eager  nose.  Another  shove — no  !  dislocation 
alone  could  accomplish  the  object.  His  shoulders  slid 
very  imperceptibly  into  the  hole.  His  nose  was  within 
an  inch  of  the  prize,  and  he  could  actually  touch  it  with 
his  tongue.  Away  with  cowardly  prudence  !  what  recked 
he  of  the  consequences  ?  Up  went  his  hind  legs,  down 
went  his  head,  and  the  tempting  bait  was  gained  at 
last! 

19 


290  UNGAVA. 

Alas  for  wolfish  misfortunes  !  His  fore  legs  were 
jammed  immovably  against  his  ribs.  A  touch  of  his  hind 
foot  on  the  ice  would  remedy  this  mishap,  but  he  was  too 
far  in  for  that.  Vigorously  he  struggled  ;  but  in  vain. 
The  blood  rushed  to  his  head,  and  the  keen  frost  quickly 
put  an  end  to  his  pains.  In  a  few  minutes  he  was  dead, 
and  in  half  an  hour  he  was  frozen,  solid  as  a  block  of 
wood,  with  his  hind  legs  and  tail  pointing  to  the  sky. 

It  was  at  the  consummation  of  this  event  that  another 
wolf,  likewise  attracted  by  the  blubber,  trotted  down  the 
wild  ravine  and  uttered  a  howl  of  delighted  surprise  as  it 
rushed  forward  to  devour  its  dead  companion, — for  such 
is  the  custom  among  wolves.  And  this  was  the  howl  that 
called  Frank  forth  in  time  to  balk  its  purpose. 

Frank  happened  to  be  completely  dressed  at  the  time, 
and  as  he  saw  the  wolf  bound  away  up  the  mountain 
gorge,  he  seized  his  gun  and  snow-shoes,  and  hastily 
slung  on  his  powder-horn  and  shot-belt. 

"  Edith,"  he  cried,  as  he  was  about  to  start,  "  I  must 
give  chase  to  that  wolf.  I  won't  be  gone  long.  Light 
the  lamp  and  prepare  breakfast,  dear,  at  least  as  much  of 
it  as  you  can  ;  I'll  be  back  to  complete  it.  Hallo,  Chi  mo  ! 
here  Chimo  !  "  he  shouted,  whistling  to  the  dog,  which 
bounded  forth  from  the  door  of  the  hut  and  followed  his 
master  up  the  ravine. 

Edith  was  so  well  accustomed  to  solitary  wanderings 
among  the  rugged  glens  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort 
Chimo,  that  she  felt  no  alarm  on  finding  herself  left  alone 
in  this  wild  spot.  She  knew  that  Frank  was  not  far  off, 
and  expected  him  back  in  a  few  minutes.  She  knew, 
also,  that  wild  animals  are  not  usually  so  daring  as  to 
show  themselves  in  open  ground  after  the  break  of  day, 
particularly  after  the  shouts  of  human  beings  have  scared 


UNGAVA.  291 

them  to  their  dens ;  so,  instead  of  giving  a  thought  to 
any  possible  dangers  that  might  threaten  her,  she  applied 
herself  cheerfully  and  busily  to  the  preparation  of  their 
morning  meal.  First  she  lighted  the  lamp,  which  in 
stantly  removed  the  gloom  of  the  interior  of  the  igloe, 
whose  little  ice-window,  as  yet  admitted  only  the  faint 
light  of  the  gray  dawn.  Then  she  melted  a  little  snow 
and  cleaned  out  the  kettle,  in  which  she  placed  two  cuts 
of  fresh  trout,  and  having  advanced  thus  far  in  her  work, 
thought  it  time  to  throw  on  her  hood  and  peep  out  to 
see  if  Frank  was  coming.  But  there  was  no  sign  of 
Frank,  so  she  reentered  the  igloe  and  began  to  set  things 
to  rights.  She  folded  up  the  deer-skins  on  which  she 
had  reposed,  and  piled  them  at  the  head  of  the  willow 
matting  that  formed  her  somewhat  rough  and  unyield 
ing  mattress,  after  which  she  arranged  the  ottoman,  and 
laid  out  the  breakfast  things  on  the  snow  table.  Having 
accomplished  all  this  to  her  entire  satisfaction,  Edith  now 
discovered  that  the  cuts  of  salmon  were  sufficiently  well 
boiled,  and  began  to  hope  that  Frank  would  be  quick 
lest  the  breakfast  should  be  spoiled.  Under  the  influence 
of  this  feeling  she  threw  on  her  hood  a  second  time,  and 
going  out  upon  the  lake,  surveyed  the  shore  with  a 
scrutinizing  gaze.  The  sun  was  now  so  far  above  the 
natural  horizon  that  the  daylight  was  pretty  clear,  but 
the  high  mountains  prevented  any  of  his  direct  rays  from 
penetrating  the  gloom  of  the  valley  of  the  lake.  Still 
there  was  light  enough  to  enable  the  solitary  child  to 
distinguish  the  objects  on  shore ;  but  Frank's  tall  form 
was  not  visible  anywhere. 

Heaving  a  slight  sigh,  Edith  returned  to  the  hut  so 
liloquizing  thus  as  she  went — "  Dear  me  ;  it  is  very 
strange  that  Frank  should  stay  away  so  long.  I  fear 


292  UNGAVA. 

that  the  trout  will  be  quite  spoiled.  Perhaps  it  would 
be  very  good  cold.  No  doubt  of  it.  We  shall  have  it 
cold,  and  then  I  can  get  the  tea  ready." 

In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  the  anxious  little  house 
keeper  removed  the  trout  from  the  kettle,  which  she 
cleaned  out  and  refilled  with  snow.  "When  this  was 
melted  and  boiled,  she  put  in  the  tea.  In  due  time  this 
also  was  ready,  and  she  sallied  forth  once  more,  with  a 
feeling  approaching  to  anxiety,  to  look  for  Frank.  Still 
her  companion  did  not  make  his  appearance,  and  for  the 
first  time  a  feeling  of  dread  touched  her  heart.  She 
strove  to  avert  it,  however,  by  considering  that  Frank 
might  have  been  obliged  to  follow  the  wolf  farther  than 
he  expected  or  intended.  Then  a  thrill  of  fear  passed 
through  her  breast  as  the  thought  occurred,  "  What  if 
the  wolf  has  attacked  and  killed  him?  "  As  time  wore 
>on,  and  no  sound  of  voice  or  gun  or  bark  of  dog  broke 
the  deary  stillness  of  that  gloomy  place,  a  feeling  of  in 
tense  horror  took  possession  of  the  child's  mind,  and  she 
pictured  to  herself  all  kinds  of  possible  evils  that  might 
have  befallen  her  companion ;  while  at  the  same  time 
she  could  not  but  feel  how  awful  was  her  unprotected 
.  and  helpless  condition.  One  thought,  however,  comforted 
her,  and  this  was  that  Maximus  would  certainly  come 
to  the  hut  on  his  return  to  the  fort.  This  relieved  her 
mind  in  regard  to  herself;  but  the  very  relief  on  that 
point  enabled  her  all  the  more  to  realize  the  dangers 
to  which  Frank  might  be  exposed  without  any  one  to 
render  him  assistance. 

The  morning  passed  away,  the  sun  rose  above  the 
hills,  and  the  short-lived  day  drew  towards  its  close  ;  still 
Frank  did  not  return,  and  the  poor  child,  who  watched 
.so  anxiously  for  him,  after  many  short  and  timid  wander- 


UNGAVA.  293 

ings  towards  the  margin  of  the  lake,  returned  to  the  igloe 
Avith  a  heart  fluttering  from  mingled  anxiety  and  terror. 
Throwing  herself  on  the  deer-skin  couch,  she  burst  into 
a  flood  of  tears.  As  she  lay  there,  sobbing  bitterly,  she 
was  startled  by  a  noise  outside  the  hut,  and  ere  she 
could  spring  from  her  recumbent  position,  Chimo  darted 
through  the  open  door-way,  with  a  cry  between  a  whine 
and  a  bark,  and  laid  his  head  on  Edith's  lap. 

"  Oh  !  what  is  it,  my  dog  ?  dear  Chimo,  where  is 
Frank  ? "  cried  the  child  passionately,  while  she  em 
braced  her  favorite  with  feelings  of  mingled  delight  and 
apprehension.  "  Is  he  coining,  Chimo  ?  "  she  said,  ad 
dressing  the  dumb  animal,  as  if  she  believed  he  under 
stood  her.  Then,  rising  hastily,  she  darted  out  once 
more,  to  cast  a  longing,  expectant  gaze  towards  the  place 
where  she  had  seen  her  companion  disappear  in  the 
morning.  But  she  was  again  doomed  to  disappointment. 
Meanwhile  Chimo's  conduct  struck  her  as  being  very 
strange.  Instead  of  receiving  with  his  usual  quiet  satis 
faction  the  caresses  she  heaped  upon  him,  he  kept  up  a 
continual  whine,  and  ran  about  hither  and  thither  with 
out  any  apparent  object  in  view.  Once  or  twice  he 
darted  off  with  a  long  melancholy  howl  towards  the  hills, 
then  stopping  short  suddenly,  stood  still  and  looked  round 
towards  his  young  mistress.  At  first  Edith  thought  that 
the  dog  must  have  lost  his  master,  and  had  come  back 
to  the  hut  expecting  to  find  him  there.  Then  she  called 
him  to  her  and  examined  his  mouth,  expecting  and  dread 
ing  to  find  blood  upon  it.  But  there  were  no  signs  of 
his  having  been  engaged,  in  fighting  with  wolves,  so 
Edith  felt  sure  that  Frank  must  be  safe  from  them  at 
least,  as  she  knew  that  Chimo  was  too  brave  to  have  left 
his  master  to  perish  alone.  The  dog  submitted  with 


294  UNGAVA. 

much  impatience  to  this  examination,  and  at  last  broke 
away  from  Edith  and  ran  yelping  towards  the  hills  again, 
stopping  as  before,  and  looking  back. 

The  resolute  manner  with  which  Chimo  did  this,  and 
the  frequency  of  its  recurrence,  at  length  induced  Edith 
to  believe  that  the  animal  wished  her  to  follow  him.  In 
stantly  it  occurred  that  he  might  conduct  her  to  Frank  ; 
so  without  bestowing  a  thought  on  the  danger  of  her  for 
saking  the  igloe,  she  ran  in  for  her  snow-shoes,  and.  put 
ting  on  her  hood  and  thick  mittens,  followed  the  dog  to 
the  margin  of  the  lake.  Chimo's  impatience  seemed  to 
subside  immediately,  and  he  trotted  rapidly  towards  the 
ravine  into  which  Frank  had  entered  in  pursuit  of  the 
wolf  that  morning.  The  dog  paused  ever  and  anon  as 
they  proceeded,  in  order  to  give  the  child  time  to  come 
up  with  him ;  and  so  eager  was  Edith  in  her  adventure, 
and  so  hopeful  was  she  that  it  would  terminate  in  her 
finding  Frank,  that  she  pressed  forward  at  a  rate  which 
would  have  been  utterly  impossible  under  less  exciting 
circumstances. 

At  the  foot  of  the  ravine  she  found  the  remains  of  the 
wolf  which  had  been  caught  in  the  snow-trap  that  morn 
ing.  Frank  had  merely  pulled  it  out  and  cast  it  on  the 
snow  in  passing,  and  the  torn  fragments  and  scattered 
bones  of  the  animal  showed  that  its  comrades  had  break 
fasted  off  its  carcass  after  Frank  had  passed.  Here 
Edith  paused  to  put  on  her  snow-shoes,  for  the  snow  in 
the  ravine  was  soft,  being  less  exposed  to  the  hardening 
action  of  the  wind,  and  the  dog  sat  down  to  wait  patiently 
until  she  was  ready. 

"  Now,  Chimo,  go  forward,  my  good  dog.  I  will  fol 
low  you  without  fear,"  she  said,  when  the  lines  were 
properly  fastened  to  her  feet. 


UNGAVA.  295 

Chimo  waited  no  second  command,  but  threaded  his 
way  rapidly  up  the  ravine  among  the  stunted  willow 
bushes.  In  doing  so  he  had  frequent  occasion  to  wait  for 
his  young  mistress,  whose  strength  was  rapidly  failing 
under  the  unwonted  exertion  she  forced  herself  to  make. 
At  times  she  had  to  pause  for  breath,  and  as  she  cast  her 
eyes  upwards  and  ai'ound  at  the  dreary  desolation  of  the 
rugged  precipices,  which  everywhere  met  her  view,  she 
could  with  difficulty  refrain  from  shedding  teai-s.  But 
Edith's  heart  was  warm  and  brave.  The  thought  of 
Frank  being  in  some  mysterious,  unknown  danger,  in 
fused  new  energy  into  her  soul  and  strengthened  her 
slight  frame.  Having  now  recovered  somewhat  from  the 
nervous  haste  which  urged  her  to  travel  at  a  rate  much 
beyond  her  capacity,  she  advanced  into  the  ravines  of  the 
mountains  with  more  of  that  steady,  regular  tramp  which 
practice  in  the  use  of  her  snow-shoes  had  taught  her  to 
assume  ;  so  that,  being  of  a  robust  constitution  naturally, 
she  became  stronger  and  more  able  for  her  undertaking 
as  she  advanced. 

For  nearly  two  hours  Chimo  led  Edith  into  the  midst 
of  the  mountains.  The  scenery  became,  if  possible, 
more  savage  as  they  proceeded,  and  at  length  grew  so 
rugged  and  full  of  precipices  and  dark  gorges,  or  rather 
splits  in  the  hills,  that  Edith  had  much  difficulty  in  avoid 
ing  the  danger  of  falling  over  many  of  the  latter  which 
were  partially  concealed  by,  and  in  some  places  entirely 
covered  over  with,  a  crust  of  snow.  Fortunately,  as  day 
light  waned,  a  brilliant  galaxy  of  stars  shone  forth,  ena 
bling  her  to  pick  her  steps. 

Hitherto  they  had  followed  Frank's  snow-shoe  track 
undeviatingly,  but  near  the  top  of  a  cliff  Chimo  suddenly 
diverged  to  the  left,  and  led  his  mistress  by  a  steep  and 


29  G  UNGAVA. 

tortuous  natural  path  to  tlie  bottom.  Here  he  ran 
quickly  forward,  uttering  a  low  whine  or  whimper,  and 
disappeared  round  the  corner  of  the  precipice.  Hasten 
ing  after  the  dog  with  a  beating  heart,  Edith  speedily 
gained  the  projection  of  the  cliff,  on  turning  which  she 
was  startled  and  terrified  by  hearing  a  loud  snarling  bark 
mingled  with  a  fierce  growl.  In  another  moment  she 
beheld  Chimo  bounding  towards  a  gaunt  savage-looking 
wolf,  which  stood  close  beside  the  body  of  a  man  ex 
tended  at  full  length  upon  the  snow. 

At  first  the  wolf  did  not  seem  inclined  to  retreat,  but 
the  shriek  which  Edith  uttered  on  suddenly  beholding 
the  scene  before  her,  induced  him  to  turn  tail  and  fly. 
In  another  moment  the  terrified  child  sank  exhausted  on 
the  snow  beside  the  insensible  form  of  Frank  Morton. 


UNGAVA.  297 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

EDITH  BECOMES  A  HEROINE  INDEED. 

THE  shock  which  Edith  received  on  beholding  the 
blood-stained  countenance  of  her  companion,  com 
pletely  paralyzed  her  at  first,  but  only  for  a  few  minutes. 
The  feeling  of  certainty  that  Frank  would  perish  if  as 
sistance  were  not  rendered,  tended  to  restore  her  scat 
tered  faculties,  and  nerve  her  heart  for  the  duties  now 
required  of  her ;  and  she  rose  with  a  feeling  of  deter 
mination  to  save  her  companion  or  die  beside  him. 
Poor  child,  she  little  knew  the  extent  of  her  own  feeble 
ness  at  that  moment;  but  she  breathed  an  inward  prayer 
to  Him  who  can  and  often  does,  achieve  the  mightiest 
results  by  the  feeblest  means. 

Raising  Frank's  head  from  the  snoA\7,  she  placed  it  in 
her  lap,  and  with  her  handkerchief  removed  the  blood 
from  his  forehead.  In  doing  this,  she  observed,  to  her 
inexpressible  relief,  that  he  breathed  freely,  and  seemed 
rather  to  be  in  a  state  of  stupor  than  insensibility.  The 
place  where  he  lay  was  a  dark  rent  or  split  in  the  moun 
tain,  the  precipices  of  which  rose  on  either  side  to  a 
height  of  between  thirty  and  forty  feet.  The  top  of  this 
chasm  was  entirely  covered  over  with  a  crust  of  snow, 
through  which  there  was  a  large  gap  immediately  above 
the  spot  where  Frank  lay,  revealing  at  once  the  cause  of 
his  present  sad  condition.  He  had  evidently  been  cross 
ing  the  ravine  by  means  of  the  deceptive  platform  of 
snow,  unware  of  the  danger  of  his  position,  and  had  been 


298  UNGAVA. 

suddenly  precipitated  to  the  bottom.  In  descending,  his 
head  had  struck  the  side  of  the  cliff,  which  cut  it  se 
verely  ;  but  the  softness  of  the  snow  into  which  he  fell 
saved  him  from  further  injury,  except  the  stunning  effect 
of  the  fall.  How  long  he  had  lain  in  this  state  Edith 
had  no  means  of  knowing ;  but  it  must  have  been  a  con 
siderable  time,  as  Chimo  could  not  have  left  him  until 
after  his  fall.  Fortunately  the  wolf  had  not  touched 
him,  and  the  wound  in  his  head  did  not  appear  to  be 
very  deep.  Observing  that  parts  of  his  face  were  slightly 
frostbitten,  Edith  commenced  to  rub  them  vigorously,  at 
the  same  time  calling  upon  him  in  the  most  earnest  tones 
to  speak  to  her.  The  effect  of  this  roused  him  a  little. 
In  a  few  minutes  he  opened  his  eyes,  and  gazed  languid 
ly  into  the  child's  face. 

"  Where  am  I,  Eda  ?  "  he  said,  faintly,  while  a  gentle 
smile  played  about  his  lips. 

"  You  are  in  the  mountains,  Frank.  Dear  Frank,  do 
open  your  eyes  again.  I'm  so  glad  to  hear  your  voice. 
Are  you  better  now  ?  " 

The  sound  of  his  voice  attracted  Chimo.  who  had  long 
ago  abandoned  the  pursuit  of  the  wolf,  and  was  seated 
beside  his  master.  Rising,  he  placed  his  cold  nose  on 
Frank's  cheek.  The  action  scorned  to  rouse  him  to  the 
recollection  of  recent  events.  Starting  up  on  his  knees, 
with  an  angry  shout,  Frank  seized  the  gun  that  lay  be 
side  him,  and  raised  it  as  if  to  strike  the  dog;  but  he 
instantly  let  the  weapon  fall,  and  exclaiming.  "  Ah, 
Chimo,  is  it  you,  good  dog  ?  "  he  fell  back  again  into  the 
arms  of  his  companion. 

Edith  wept  bitterly  for  a  few  minutes,  while  she  tried 
in  vain  to  awaken  her  companion  from  his  state  of  leth 
argy.  At  length  she  dried  her  tears  hastily,  and,  rising, 


UXGAVA.  299 

placed  Frank's  head  on  her  warm  cloak,  which  she 
wrapped  round  his  face  and  shoulders.  Then  she  felt  his 
hands,  which,  though  covered  with  thick  leather  mittens, 
were  very  cold.  Making  Chimo  couch  at  his  feet,  so  as 
to  imbue  them  with  some  of  his  own  warmth,  she  pro 
ceeded  to  rub  his  hands,  and  to  squeeze  and,  as  it  were, 
shampoo  his  body  all  over,  as  vigorously  as  her  strength 
enabled  her.  In  a  few  minutes  the  effect  of  this  was 
apparent.  Frank  raised  himself  on  his  elbow,  and  gazed 
wildly  round  him. 

"  Surely  I  must  have  fallen.  Where  am  I,  EcTith  ?  " 
Gradually  his  faculties  returned.  "  Edith,  Edith  ! "  he 
exclaimed,  in  a  low,  anxious  voice,  "  I  must  get  back  to 
the  igloe.  I  shall  freeze  here.  Fasten  the  lines  of  my 
snow-shoes,  dear,  and  I  will  rise." 

Edith  did  as  she  was  desired,  and  immediately  Frank 
made  a  violent  effort  and  stood  upright ;  but  he  s^vayed 
to  and  fro  like  a  drunken  man.  ijl 

"  Let  me  lean  on  your  shoulder,  dear  E'da,"  he  said  in 
a  faint  voice.  "  My  head  is  terribly  confused.  Lead 
me  ;  I  cannot  see  well." 

The  child  placed  his  hand  on  her  shoulder,  and  they 
went  forward  a  few  paces  together — Edith  bending 
beneath  the  heavy  weight  of  her  companion. 

"  Do  I  lean' heavily  ?"  said  Frank,  drawing  his  hand 
across  his  forehead.  "  Poor  child." 

As  he  spoke,  he  removed  his  hand  from  her  shoulder  ; 
but  the  instant  he  did  so,  he  staggered  and  fell  with  a 
deep  groan. 

"  Oh,  Frank !  dear  Frank  !  why  did  you  do  that  ?  " 
said  Edith,  anxiously.  "  You  do  not  hurt  me.  I  don't 
mind  it.  Do  try  to  rise  again." 

Frank   tried,  and  succeeded  in   walking,  in  a  sort  of 


300  UNGAVA. 

half-sleeping,  half-waking  condition,  for  about  a  mile — 
stumbling  as  he  went,  and  often  unwittingly  crushing  his 
little  guide  to  the  ground.  After  this,  he  fell  once  more, 
and  could  not  again  recover  his  upright  position.  Poor 
Edith  now  began  to  lose  heart.  The  utter  hopelessness 
of  getting  the  wounded  man  to  advance  more  than  a  few 
yards  at  a  time,  and  her  own  gradually  increasing  weak 
ness,  induced  the  tears  once  more  to  start  to  her  eyes. 
She  observed,  too,  that  Frank  was  sinking  into  that  state 
of  lethargy  which  is  so  dangerous  in  cold  climates ;  and 
she  had  much  difficulty  in  preventing  him  from  falling 
into  that  sleep  which,  if  indulged  in,  is  indeed  the  sleep 
of  death.  By  persevering,  however,  she  succeeded  in 
rousing  him  so  far  as  to  creep  a  short  distance,  now  and 
then,  on  his  hands  and  knees — sometimes  to  stagger  a 
few  paces  forward ;  and  at  length,  long  after  the  cold 
moon  had  arisen  on  the  scene,  they  reached  the  margin 
of  the  lake. 

Here  Frank  became  utterly  powerless,  and  no  exertion 
on  the  part  of  his  companion  could  avail  to  rouse  him. 
In  this  dilemma,  Edith  once  more  wrapped  him  in  her 
warm  cloak,  and,  causing  Chimo  to  lie  at  his  feet,  hastened 
over  the  ice  towards  the  igloe.  On  arriving,  she  lighted 
the  lamp,  and  heated  the  tea  which  she  had  made  in  the 
morning.  This  took  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour  to 
do ;  and  during  the  interval  she  endeavored  to  allay  her 
impatience  by  packing  up  a  few  mouthfuls  of  pemmican 
and  biscuit.  Then  she  spread  the  deer-skins  out  on 
the  couch ;  and  when  this  was  done,  the  tea  was  thor 
oughly  heated.  The  snow  on  the  river  being  quite  hard 
she  needed  not  to  encumber  herself  with  snow-shoes ; 
but  she  fastened  the  traces  of  her  own  little  sledge  over 
her  shoulders,  and,  with  the  kettle  in  her  hand,  ran  as 


UNGAVA.  301 

fast  as  her  feet  could  cany  her  to  the  place  where  she 
had  left  Frank  and  Chimo,  and  found  them  lying  exactly 
as  they  lay  when  she  left  them. 

"  Frank  !  Frank  !  here  is  some  hot  tea  for  you.  Do 
try  to  take  some." 

But  Frank  did  not  move,  so  she  had  recourse  to  rub 
bing  him  again,  and  had  soon  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
him  open  his  eyes.  The  instant  he  did  so,  she  repeated 
her  earnest  entreaties  that  he  would  take  some  tea. 
In  a  few  minutes  he  revived  sufficiently  to  sit  up  and 
sip  a  little  of  the  warm  beverage.  The  effect  was  al 
most  magical.  The  blood  began  to  course  more  rapidly 
through  his  benumbed  limbs,  and  in  five  minutes  more 
he  was  able  to  sit  up  and  talk  to  his  companion. 

"Now,  Frank,"  said  Edith,  with  an  amount  of  decision 
that  in  other  circumstances  would  have  seemed  quite 
laughable,  "  try  to  get  on  to  my  sled,  and  I'll  help  you. 
The  igloe  is  near  at  hand  now." 

Frank  obeyed  almost  mechanically,  and  creeping  upon 
the  sled  with  difficulty,  he  fell  instantly  into  a  profound 
sleep.  Edith's  chief  anxiety  was  past  now.  Harnessing 
Chimo  to  the  sled  as  well  as  she  could,  she  ran  on  before, 
and  a  very  few  minutes  brought  them  to  the  snow  hut. 
Here  the  work  of  rousing  Frank  had  again  to  be  accom 
plished;  but  the  vigor  which  the  warm  tea  had  infused 
into  his  frame  rendered  it  less  difficult  than  heretofore ; 
and  soon  afterwards  Edith  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
her  companion  extended  on  his  deer-skin  couch,  under  the 
sheltering  roof  of  the  igloe.  Replenishing  (he  lamp  and 
closing  the  door-way  with  a  slab  of  snow,  she  sat  down  to 
watch  by  his  side.  Chimo  coiled  himself  quietly  up  at 
his  feet,  while  Frank,  under  the  influence  of  the  grateful 
warmth,  fell  again  into  a  deep  slumber.  As  the  night  wore 


302  UNGAVA. 

on,  Edith's  eyes  became  heavy,  and  she  too,  resting  her 
head  on  the  deer-skins,  slept  till  the  lamp  on  the  snow 
shelf  expired  and  left  the  hut  and  its  inmates  in  total 
dirrkness. 

Contrary  to  Edith's  expectations,  Frank  was  very  little 
better  when  he  awoke  next  day  ;  but  he  was  able  to  talk 
to  her  in  a  faint  voice,  and  to  relate  how  he  had  fallen 
over  the  cliff,  and  how  afterwards  he  had  to  exert  his 
failing  powers  in  order  to  defend  himself  from  a  wolf. 
In  all  these  conversations  his  mind  seemed  to  wander  a 
little,  and  it  was  evident  that  he  had  not  recovered  from 
the  effects  of  the  blow  received  on  his  head  in  the  fall. 
For  two  days  the  child  tended  him  with  the  affectionate 
tenderness  of  a  sister,  but  as  he  seemed  to  grow  worse 
instead  of  better,  she  became  very  uneasy  and  pondered 
much  ui  her  mind  what  she  should  do.  At  last  she 
formed  a  strange  resolution.  Supposing  that  Maximus 
must  still  be  at  the  Esquimaux  village  at  the  mouth  of 
False  River,  and  concluding  hastily  that  this  village  could 
not  be  very  far  away,  she  determined  to  set  out  in  search 
of  it,  believing  that,  if  she  found  it,  the  Esquimaux  would 
convey  her  back  to  the  igloe  on  the  lake,  and  take  Frank 
up  to  Fort  Chimo,  where  he  could  be  properly  tended 
and  receive  medicine. 

Freaks  and  fancies  are  peculiar  to  children,  but  the 
carrying  of  their  freaks  and  fancies  into  effect  is  peculiar 
only  to  those  who  are  precocious  and  daring  in  character. 
Such  was  Edith,  and  no  sooner  -  had  she  conceived  the 
idea  of  attempting  to  find  the  Esquimaux  camp,  than  she 
proceeded  to  put  it  in  execution.  Frank  was  in  so  de 
pressed  a  condition  that  she  thought  it  better  not  to  dis 
turb  or  annoy  him  by  arousing  him  so  as  to  get  him  to 
comprehend  what  she  was  about  to  do ;  so  she  was 


TXGAVA.  303 

obliged  to  commune  with  herself,  sometimes  even  in  an 
audible  tone,  in  default  of  any  better  counsellor.  It 
is  due  to  her  to  say,  that,  in  remembrance  of  her 
mother's  advice,  she  sought  the  guidance  of  her  heavenly 
Father. 

Long  and  earnest  was  the  thought  bestowed  by  this 
little  child  on  the  subject,  ere  she  ventured  to  leave  her 
companion  alone  in  the  snow  hut.  Frank  was  able  to 
sit  up  and  to  assist  himself  to  the  articles  of  food  and 
drink  which  his  little  nurse  placed  within  his  reach,  so 
that  she  had  no  fear  of  his  being  in  want  of  anything  dur 
ing  the  day, — or  two  at  most — that  she  expected  to  be 
absent ;  for  in  her  childlike  simplicity  she  concluded 
that  if  Maximus  could  travel  thither  in  a  few  hours, 
she  could  not  take  much  longer,  especially  with  such  a 
good  servant  as  Chimo  to  lead  the  way.  Besides  this, 
she  had  observed  the  way  in  which  the  Esquimaux  had 
set  out,  and  Frank  had  often  pointed  out  to  her  the  direc 
tion  in  which  the  camp  lay.  She  knew  also  that  there 
was  no  danger  from  wild  animals,  but  determined,  never 
theless,  to  build  up  the  door  of  the  igloe  very  firmly,  lest 
they  should  venture  to  draw  near.  She  also  put  Frank's 
loaded  gun  in  the  spot  where  he  was  wont  to  place  it, 
so  as  to  be  ready  to  his  hand. 

Having  made  all  her  arrangements,  Edith  glided  noise 
lessly  from  the  hut,  harnessed  her  dog,  closed  the  door  of 
the  snow  hut,  and  jumping  into  the  furs  of  her  sledge,  was 
soon  far  away  from  the  mountain  lake.  At  first  the  dog 
followed  what  she  thought  must  be  the  track  that  Maxi 
mus  had  taken,  and  her  spirits  rose,  when,  after  an  hour's 
drive,  she  emerged  upon  a  boundless  plain  which  she  im 
agined  must  be  the  shores  of  the  frozen  sea  where  the 
Esquimaux  lived.  Encouraging  Chimo  with  her  voice, 


304  UNGAVA. 

she  flew  over  the  level  surface  of  the  hard  frozen  snow, 
and  looked  round  eagerly  in  all  directions  for  the  ex 
pected  signs  of  natives.  But  no  such  signs  appeared, 
and  she  began  to  fear  that  the  distance  was  greater  than 
she  had  anticipated.  Towards  the  afternoon  it  began  to 
snow  heavily.  There  was  no  wind,  and  the  snow  fell  in 
large  flakes,  alighting  softly  and  without  any  sound. 
This  prevented  her  seeing  any  great  distance,  and,  what 
was  worse,  rendered  the  ground  heavy  for  travelling. 

At  length  she  came  to  a  ridge  of  rocks,  and  supposing 
that  she  might  see  to  a  greater  distance  from  its  summit, 
she  got  out  of  the  sledge  and  clambered  up,  for  the 
ground  was  too  rough  for  the  sledge  to  pass.  Here  the 
view  was  dreary  enough :  nothing  but  plains  and  hum 
mocks  of  ice  and  snow  met  her  view,  except  in  one 
direction,  where  she  saw,  or  fancied  that  she  saw,  u 
clump  of  willows  and  what  appeared  to  be  a  fttJt  in  the 
midst  of  them.  Running  down  the  rugged  declivity, 
she  crossed  the  plain  and  reached  the  spot ;  but  although 
the  willows  were  there  she  found  no  hut.  Overcome 
with  fatigue,  fear,  and  disappointment,  she  sat  down  on  a 
wreath  of  snow  and  wept.  But  she  felt  that  her  situa 
tion  was  much  too  serious  to  permit  of  her  wasting  time  in 
vain  regrets,  so  she  started  up  and  endeavored  to  retrace 
her  steps.  This,  however,  was  now  a  matter  of  difficulty. 
The  snow  fell  so  thickly  that  her  footsteps  were  almost 
obliterated,  and  she  could  not  see  ten  yards  before  her. 
After  wandering  about  for  a  few  minutes  in  uncertainty, 
she  called  aloud  to  Chimo,  hoping  to  hear  his  bark  in  re 
ply.  But  all  was  silent. 

Chimo  was'not,  indeed,  unfaithful.  He  heard  the  cry 
and  responded  to  it  in  the  usual  way,  by  bounding  in  the 
direction  whence  it  came.  His  progress,  however,  was 


UXGAVA.  305 

suddenly  arrested  by  the  sledge,  which  caught  upon,  and 
was  jammed  amongst  the  rocks.  Fiercely  did  Chimo 
strain  and  bound,  but  the  harness  was  tough  and  the  sledge 
immovable.  Meanwhile  the  wind  arose,  and  although  it 
blew  gently,  it  was  sufficient  to  prevent  Edith  overhear 
ing  the  whining  cries  of  her  dog.  For  a  time  the  child 
lost  all  self-command,  and  rushed  about,  she  knew  not 
whither,  in  the  anxious  desire  to  find  her  sledge  ;  then  she 
stopped  and  restrained  the  pantings  of  her  breath,  while 
with  both  hands  pressed  tightly  over  her  heart,  as  if  she 
would  fain  stop  the  rapid  throbbing  there,  she  listened 
long  and  intently.  But  no  sound  fell  upon  her  ear  ex 
cept  the  sighing  of  the  cold  breeze  as  it  swept"  by,  and 
no  sight  met  her  anxious  gaze  save  the  thickly  falling 
snow-flakes. 

Sinking  on  her  knees,  Edith  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands  and  gave  full  vent  to  the  pent-up  emotions  of  her 
soul,  as  the  conviction  was  at  length  forced  upon  her 
mind  that  she  was  a  lost  wanderer  in  the  midst  of  that 
cold  and  dreary  waste  of  snow. 


20 


306  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

A  DARK  CLOUD  OF  SOKKOW  ENVELOPS  FOKT  CHIMO. 

THREE  days  after  the  events  narrated  in  the  last 
chapter  the  fort  of  the  fur  traders  became  a  place  of 
weeping,  for  on  the  morning  of  that  day  Maximus  arrived 
with  the  prostrate  form  of  Frank  Morton,  whom  he  had 
discovered  alone  in  the  igloe  on  the  lake,  and  with  the 
dreadful  news  that -little  Edith  Stanley  was  nowhere  to 
be  found  ! 

It  may  be  more  easily  imagined  than  described,  the 
state  of  mind  into  which  the  parents  of  the  child  were 
thrown  ;  but  after  the  first  burst  of  emotion  was  past, 
Stanley  felt  that  a  thorough  and  immediate  search  was 
the  only  hope  that  remained  to  him  of  finding  his  little 
one  alive.  Still,  when  he  considered  the  intensity  of  the 
cold  to  which  she  must  have  been  exposed,  and  the  length 
of  time  which  had  already  elapsed  since  she  was  missed, 
his  heart  sank,  and  he  could  scarcely  frame  words  of 
comfort  to  his  prostrated  partner.  Maximus  had  exam 
ined  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  lake,  in  the  hope 
of  finding  the  tracks  of  the  lost  one,  but  a  heavy  fall  of 
snow  had  totally  obliterated  these,  and  he  wisely  judged 
that  it  would  be  better  to  convey  the  sick  man  to  the 
fort  as  quickly  as  possible  and  give  the  alarm,  so  that 
parties  might  be  sent  out  to  scour  the  country  in  all 
directions. 

Frank  was  immediately  put  to  bed  on  his  arrival,  and 


rxGAVA.  307 

everything  done  in  order  to  restore  him.  In  this  attempt 
they  succeeded  so  far  as  to  obtain  all  the  information  he 
could  give  concerning  his  fall,  but  he  remembered  noth 
ing  further  than  that  Edith  had  been  the  means  of  bring 
ing  him  to  the  snow  hut  where  he  lay  in  a  deep  torpid 
slumber,  until  the  voice  and  hand  of  Maximus  awakened 
him.  When  Frank  was  told  that  Edith  was  lost,  he 
sprang  from  his  bed  as  if  he  had  received  an  electric 
shock.  The  confusion  of  his  faculties  seemed  swept  away, 
and  he  began  to  put  on  his  garments  with  as  much  vigor 
a?  if  he  were  well  and  strong ;  but  ere  he  belted  on  his 
leather  coat  his  cheek  grew  pale,  his  hand  trembled,  and 
he  fell  in  a  swoon  upon  the  bed.  This  convinced  him  of 
the  impossibility  of  doing  anything  in  the  search,  and  he 
was  prevailed  on,  after  two  or  three  similar  failures,  to 
leave  the  work  to  others. 

Meanwhile  the  mountains  and  valleys  of  Ungava  were 
traversed  far  and  near  by  the  agonized  father  and  his 
men.  The  neighborhood  of  the  lake  was  the  first  place 
searched,  and  they  had  not  sought  long  ere  they  discov 
ered  the  little  sledge  sticking  fast  among  the  rocks  of  the 
sea-coast,  and  Chinio  lying  in  the  traces  almost  dead 
with  cold  and  hunger.  The  dog  had  kept  himself  alive 
by  gnawing  the  deer-skin  of  which  the  traces  were 
made.  Around  this  spot  the  search  was  concentrated, 
and  the  Esquimaux  of  the  neighboring  camp  were 
employed  in  traversing  the  country  in  all  directions; 
but  although  scarce  a  foot  of  ground  escaped  the  eager 
scrutiny  of  one  or  other  of  the  party,  not  a  vestige  of 
Edith  was  to  be- seen, — not  so  much  as  a  foot-print  in 
the  snow. 

Days  and  nights  flew  by,  and  still  the  search  was  con 
tinued.  Frank  quickly  recovered  under  the  affectionate 


308 

care  of  the  almost  heart-broken  mother,  who  found  some 
relief  from  her  crushing  sorrow  in  ministering  to  his 
wants.  But  the  instant  he  could  walk  without  support, 
and  long  before  it  was  prudent  to  do  so,  Frank  joined  in 
the  search.  At  first  he  could  do  little,  but  as  day  after  day 
passed  by,  his  strength  returned  so  rapidly  that  the  only 
symptoms  that  remained  to  tell  of  his  late  accident  were 
his  pale  cheek  and  the  haggard  expression  of  his  counte 
nance.  But  the  mysterious  disappearance  of  Edith  had 
more  to  do  with  the  latter  than  illness. 

Weeks  passed  away,  but  still  the  dark  cloud  of  sorrow 
hung  over  Fort  Chimo,  for  the  merry  young  voice  that 
was  wont  to  awake  the  surrounding  echoes  was  gone. 
The  systematic  search  had  now  been  given  up,  for  every 
nook,  every  glen,  and  gorge,  and  corrie,  within  fifteen 
miles  of  the  spot  where  they  had  found  the  little  sledge, 
had  been  searched  again  and  again  without  success.  But 
hope  clung  with  singular  tenacity  to  the  parents'  hearts 
long  after  it  had  fled  from  those  of  the  men  of  the  fort 
and  of  the  Esquimaux.  Every  alternate  day  Stanley 
and  Frank  sallied  forth  with  heavy  steps  and  furrowed 
brow  to  explore  more  carefully  those  places  where  the 
child  was  most  likely  to  have  strayed,  expecting,  yet 
fearing,  to  find  her  dead  body.  But  they  always  re 
turned  to  the  bereaved  mother  with  silent  lip  and  down 
cast  look. 

They  frequently  conversed  together  about  her,  and 
always  in  a  hopeful  tone,  each  endeavoring  to  conceal 
from  the  other  the  real  state  of  his  own  mind.  Indeed, 
except  when  necessity  required  it,  they  seldom  spoke  on 
any  other  subject. 

One  day  Stanley  and  Frank  were  seated  by  the  blaz 
ing  stove  in  the  hall  conversing  as  usual  about  the  plan 


UNGAVA.  309 

of  the  search  for  that  day.     Mrs.  Stanley  was  busied  in 
preparing  breakfast. 

"  'Tis  going  to  blow  hard  from  the  north,  Frank,"  said 
Stanley,  rising  and  looking  out  of  the  window  ;  "  I  see 
the  icebergs  coming  into  the  river  with  the  tide.  You 
will  have  a  cold  march,  I  fear." 

Frank  made  no  reply ;  but  rose  and  approached  the 
window.  The  view  from  it  was  a  strange  one.  During 
the  night  a  more  than  usually  severe  frost  had  congealed 
the  water  of  the  lake  in  the  centre,  and  the  icebergs, 
that  sailed  towards  the  Caneapusca  River  in  stately 
grandeur,  went  crashing  through  this  young  ice  as  if  it 
had  been  paper — their  slow  but  steady  progress  receiv 
ing  no  perceptible  check  from  its  opposition.  Some  of 
these  bergs  were  of  great  size,  and  in  proceeding  onwards 
they  passed  so  close  to  the  fort  that  the  inhabitants  feared 
more  than  once  that  a  falling  pinnacle  might  descend  on 
the  stores,  which  were  built  near  to  the  water's  edge,  and 
crush  them.  As  the  tide  gradually  rose  it  rushed  with 
violence  into  the  cavities  beneath  the  solid  ice  on  the 
opposite  shore,  and,  finding  no  escape  save  through  a  few 
rents  and  fissures,  sent  up  columns  or  spouts  of  white 
spray  in  all  directions,  which  roared  and  shrieked  as  they 
flew  upwards,  as  if  the  great  ocean  were  maddened  with 
anger  at  finding  a  power  strong  enough  to  restrain  and 
curb  its  might.  At  intervals  the  main  ice  rent  with  a 
crash  like  the  firing  of  artillery  ;  and,  as  if  nature  had 
designed  to  carry  on  and  deepen  this  simile,  the  shore 
was  lined  with  heaps  of  little  blocks  of  ice  which  the  con 
stantly  recurring  action  of  the  tide  had  moulded  into  the 
shape  and  size  of  cannon  balls. 

But  such  sights  were  common  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Fort  Chimo,  and  had  long  ago  ceased  to  call  forth  more 
than  a  passing  remark. 


310  UXGAVA. 

'•  May  it  not  be  possible,"  murmured  Stanley,  while  he- 
leant  his  brow  on  his  hand,  "  that  she  may  have  gone  up 
False  River  ?  " 

'•  I  think  not,"  said  Frank.  "  I  know  not  how  it  is, 
but  I  have  a  strange  conviction  that  she  is  yet  alive.  If 
she  had  perished  in  the  snow  we  should  certainly  have 
found  her  long  ago.  I  cannot  explain  my  feelings  or 
give  a  reason  for  them,  but  I  feel  convinced  that  darling 
Eda  is  alive." 

"  O  God  grant  it,"  whispered  Stanley,  in  a  deep  voice, 
while  his  wife  hastened  from  the  room  to  conceal  the 
tears  which  she  could  not  restrain. 

While  Frank  continued  to  gaze  in  silence  on  the  bleak 
scene  without,  a  faint  sound  of  sleigh-bells  broke  upon 
his  ear. 

"  Hark  !  "  he  cried,  starting  and  opening  the  door. 

The  regular  and  familiar  sound  of  the  bells  came  float 
ing  sweetly  on  the  breeze.  They  grew  louder  and  louder, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  a  team  of  dogs  galloped  into  the 
fort,  dragging  a  small  sled  behind  them.  They  were  fol 
lowed  by  two  stalwart  Indians,  whose  costume  and  man 
ner  told  that  they  were  in  the  habit  of  associating  more 
with  the  fur  traders  than  with  their  own  kindred.  The 
dogs  ran  the  sled  briskly  into  the  centre  of  the  fort,  and 
lay  down  panting  on  the  snow,  while  the  two  men  ap 
proached  the  hall. 

"  'Tis  a  packet,"  cried  Stanley,  forgetting  for  the  mo 
ment  his  sorrow  in  the  excitement  of  this  unexpected 
arrival. 

In  a  moment  all  the  men  at  the  fort  were  assembled  in 
the  square. 

''A  packet !     Where  come  you  from  ?  " 

"  From  Moose   Fort,"  replied  the  elder  Indian,  while 


311 

his  comrade  unfastened  from  the  sled  a  little  bundle  con 
taining  letters. 

"  Any  news  ?  Are  all  well  ?  "  chorused  the  men. 

"Ay,  all  well.  It  is  many  day  since  we  left.  The 
way  is  very  rough,  and  we  did  not  find  much  deer. 
We  saw  one  camp  of  Indian,  but  they  'fraid  to  come. 
I  not  know  why.  But  I  see  with  them  one  fair 
flower  which  grow  in  the  fields  of  the  Esquimaux.  I 
suppose  the  Indian  pluck  her  and  dare  not  come  back 
here." 

Stanley  started,  and  his  cheek  grew  pale. 

"  A  fair  flower,  say  you  ?  Speak  literally,  man  ;  was 
it  a  little  white  girl  that  you  saw  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  Indian,  "  it  was  no  white  girl  we 
saw.  It  was  one  young  Esquimaux  woman." 

Stanley  heaved  a  deep  sigh  and  turned  away,  mutter 
ing — "Ah !  I  might  have  known  that  she  could  not 
have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Indians  so  far  to  the 
south." 

"  AVell,  lads,  take  care  of  these  fellows,"  he  cried,  crush 
ing  down  the  feelings  that  had  been  for  a  brief  moment 
awakened  in  his  heart  by  the  Indian's  words,  "  and  give 
them  plenty  to  eat  and  smoke."  So  saying,  he  went  off 
with  the  packet,  followed  by  Frank. 

"  Niver  fear  ye  ;  come  along  honey,"  said  Bryan,  grasp 
ing  the  elder  Indian  by  the  arm,  while  the  younger  was 
carried  off  by  Massan,  and  the  dogs  taken  care  of  by  Ma- 
istiquan  and  Gaspard. 

On  perusing  the  letters,  Stanley  found  that  it  would 
be  absolutely  necessary  to  send  a  packet  of  despatches 
to  head  quarters.  The  difficulties  of  his  position  required 
to  be  more  thoroughly  explained,  and  erroneous  notions 
corrected. 


312  UXGAVA. 

"  What  shall  I  do,  Frank  ?  "  said  he,  with  a  perplexed 
look.  "  These  Indians  cannot  return  to  Moose,  having 
received  orders,  I  find,  to  journey  in  a  different  direction. 
Our  own  men  know  the  way,  but  I  cannot  spare  the  good 
ones  among  them,  and  the  second-rate  cannot  be  de 
pended  on  without  a  leader." 

Frank  did  not  give  an  immediate  reply.  He  seemed 
to  be  pondering  the  subject  in  his  mind.  At  length  he 
said,  "  Could  not  Dick  Prince  be  spared  ?  " 

"  No,  he  is  too  useful  here.  The  fact  is,  Frank,  I 
think  I  must  send  you.  It  will  do  you  good,  my  dear 
boy,  and  tend  to  distract  your  mind  from  a  subject  which 
is  now  hopeless." 

Frank  at  first  objected  strongly  to  this  plan,  on  the 
ground  that  it  would  prevent  him  from  assisting  in  the 
forlorn  search  for  Edith ;  but  Stanley  pointed  out  that 
he  and  the  men  could  continue  it,  and  that,  on  the 
other  hand,  his  (Frank's)  personal  presence  at  head 
quarters  would  be  of  great  importance  to  the  interests 
of  the  Company.  At  length  Frank  was  constrained  to 
obey. 

The  route  by  which  he  purposed  to  travel  was  over 
land  to  Richmond  Gulf,  on  snow-shoes ;  and,  as  the 
way  was  rough,  he  determined  to  take  only  a  few  days' 
provisions  and  depend  for  subsistence  on  the  hook  and 
gun.  Maximus,  Oolibuck,  and  Ma-istiquan,  were  chosen 
to  accompany  him  ;  and  three  better  men  he  could  not 
have  had,  for  they  were  stalwart  and  brave,  and  ac- 
•customed  from  infancy  to  live  by  the  chase,  and  tra 
verse  trackless  wastes,  guided  solely  by  that  power  of 
^observation,  or  instinct,  with  which  savages  are  usually 
gifted. 

With  these  men,  a  week's  provisions,  a  large  supply 


UXGAVA.  313 

of  ammunition,  a  small  sledge,  and  three  dog?,  of  whom 
Chimo  was  the  leader,  Frank  one  morning  ascended  the 
rocky  platform  behind  the  fort,  and,  bidding  adieu  to 
Ungava,  commenced  his  long  journey  over  the  interior 
of  Ea=t  Maine. 


314  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

AX  OLD  FRIEND  AMID   NEW    FRIENDS   AND  NOVELTIES— A   DESPE 
RATE  BATTLE  AND  A  GLORIOUS  VICTORY. 

THE  scene  of  our  story  is  now  changed,  and  we  re 
quest  our  patient  reader  to"  fly  away  with  us  deeper 
into  the   north,  beyond  the  regions  of  Ungava,  and  far 
out  upon  the  frozen  sea. 

Here  is  an  island  which,  for  many  long  years,  has 
formed  a  refuge  to  the  roe-deer  during  the  winter,  at 
which  season  these  animals,  having  forsaken  the  main 
land  in  autumn,  dwell  upon  the  islands  of  the  sea.  At 
the  time  of  which  we  write  the  island  in  question  was 
occupied  by  a  tribe  of  Esquimaux,  who  had  built  them 
selves  as  curious  a  village  as  one  could  wish  to  see. 
The  island  had  little  or  no  wood  on  it,  and  the  few 
willow  bushes  that  showed  their  heads  above  the  deep 
snow  were  stunted  and  thin.  Such  as  they  were,  how 
ever,  they,  along  with  a  ledge  of  rock  over  which  the 
snow  had  drifted  in  a  huge  mound,  formed  a  sort  of  pro 
tection  to  the  village  of  the  Esquimaux,  and  sheltered  it 
from  the  cold  blasts  that  swept  over  the  frozen  sea 
from  the  regions  of  the  far  north.  There  were  about 
twenty  igloes  in  the  village,  all  of  which  were  built  in 
the  form  of  a  dome,  exactly  similar  to  the  hut  con 
structed  by  Maximus  on  the  lake.  They  were  of  vari 
ous  sizes,  and  while  some  stood  apart,  with  only  a  small 
igloe  attached,  others  were  congregated  in  groups,  and 
connected  by  low  tunnels  or  passages.  The  door-ways 


UXGAVA.  315 

leading  into  most  of  them  were  so  low,  that  the  natives 
were  obliged  to  creep  out  and  in  on  their  hands  and 
knees  ;  but  the  huts  themselves  were  high  enough  to 
permit  the  tallest  man  of  the  tribe  to  stand  erect,  and 
some  of  them  so  capacious  that  a  family  of  six  or  eight 
persons  could  dwell  in  them  easily.  We  may  remark, 
however,  that  Esquimaux  ideas  of  roominess  and  com 
fort  in  their  dwellings  differ  very  considerably  from  ours. 
Their  chief  aim  is  to  create  heat,  and  for  this  end  they 
cheerfully  submit  to  what  we  would  consider  the  discom 
fort  of  crowding  and  close  air. 

The  village  at  a  little  distance  bore  a  curious  resem 
blance  to  a  cluster  of  white  beehives  ;  and  the  round, 
soft,  hairy  natives,  creeping  out  and  in  continually,  and 
moving  about  amongst  them,  were  not  unlike  (with  the 
aid  of  a  little  imagination)  to  a  swarm  of  monstrous  black 
bets, — an  idea  which  was  further  strengthened  by  the 
continuous  hum  that  floated  on  the  air  over  the  busy 
settlement.  Kayaks  and  oomiaks  lay  about  in  several 
places,  supported  on  blocks  of  ice  ;  and  seal-spears,  pad 
dles,  dans,  lances,  coils  of  walrus-line,  and  other  imple 
ments,  were  intermingled  in  rare  confusion  with  sledges, 
seal-skins,  junks  of  raw  meat,  and  bones, — on  which 
latter  the  numerous  dogs  of  the  tribe  were  earnestly 
engaged. 

In  the  midst  of  this  village  stood  a  hut  which  dif 
fered  considerably  from  those  around.  It  was  built  of 
clear  ice  instead  of  snow.  There  were  one  or  two  other 
igloes  made  of  the  same  material,  but  none  so  large, 
clean,  or  elegant  as  this  one.  The  walls,  which  were  per 
pendicular,  were  composed  of  about  thirty  large  square 
blocks,  cemented  together  with  snow,  and  arranged  in 
the  form  of  an  octagon.  The  roof  was  a  dome  of  snow ; 


316  UXGAVA. 

a  small  porch  or  passage,  also  of  ice,  stood  in  front  of  the 
low  door-way,  which  had  been  made  high  enough  to  per 
mit  the  owner  of  the  mansion  to  enter  by  stooping 
slightly.  In  front  and  all  around  this  hut  the  snow 
was  carefully  scraped,  and  all  offensive  objects — such  as 
seal  and  whale  blubber — removed,  giving  to  it  an  appear 
ance  of  cleanliness  and  comfort  which  the  neighboring 
igloes  did  not  possess.  Inside  of  this  icy  residence,  on  a 
couch  of  deer-skin,  was  seated  Edith  Stanley  ! 

On  that  terrible  night  when  the  child  lost  her  way  in 
the  dreary  plain,  she  had  wandered  she  knew  not  whither, 
until  she  was  suddenly  arrested  by  coming  to  the  edge  of 
the  solid  ice  on  the  shores  of  Ungava  Bay.  Here  the 
high  winds  had  broken  up  the  ice,  and  the  black  waters 
of  the  sea  now  rolled  at  her  feet  and  checked  her  pro 
gress.  Terrified  at  this  unexpected  sight,  Edith  en 
deavored  to  retrace  her  steps,  but  she  found  to  her  hor 
ror  that  the  ice  on  which  she  stood  was  floating,  and  that 
the  wind,  having  shifted  a  point  to  the  eastward  was  driv 
ing  it  across  to  the  west  side  of  the  bay.  Here  in  the 
course  of  the  next  day  it  grounded,  and  the  poor  child 
benumbed  with  cold  and  faint  with  hunger,  crept  as  far 
as  she  could  on  to  the  firm  land,  and  then  lay  down,  as 
she  thought,  to  die. 

But  it  was  otherwise  ordained.  In  less  than  half  an 
hour  afterwards  she  was  found  by  a  party  of  Esquimaux. 
These  wild  creatures  had  come  from  the  eastward  in 
their  dog-sledges,  and,  having  passed  well  out  to  the  sea 
ward,  in  order  to  avoid  the  open  water  off  the  mouth  of 
False  River,  had  missed  seeing  their  countrymen  there, 
and  therefore  knew  nothing  of  the  establishment  of  Fort 
Chimo.  In  bending  towards  the  land  again,  after  pass 
ing  the  bay,  they  came  upon  Edith's  tracks,  and,  after  a 
short  search,  they  found  her  lying  on  the  snow. 


UXGAVA.  317 

Words  cannot  convey  an  adequate  impression  of  the 
unutterable  amazement  of  these  poor  creatures,  as  they 
beheld  the  fair  child,  so  unlike  anything  they  had  ever 
seen  or  imagined ;  but,  whatever  may  have  been  their 
thoughts  regarding  her,  they  had  sense  enough  to  see  that 
she  was  composed  of  flesh  and  blood,  and  would  infal 
libly  freeze  if  allowed  to  lie  there  much  longer.  They 
therefore  lifted  her  gently,  upon  one  of  the  large  sleighs, 
and  placed  her  on  a  pile  of  furs  in  the  midst  of  a 
group  of  women  and  children,  who  covered  her  up  and 
chafed  her  limbs  vigorously.  Meanwhile,  the  drivers 
of  the  sledges,  of  which  there  were  six,  with  twrenty  dogs 
attached  to  each,  plied  their  long  whips  energetically ; 
the  dogs  yelled  in  consternation,  and,  darting  away  with 
the  sledges  as  if  they  had  been  feathers,  the  \vhole 
tribe  went  hooting,  yelling,  and  howling,  away  over  the 
frozen  sea. 

The  surprise  of  the  savages  when  they  found  Edith, 
was  scarcely  if  at  all  superior  to  that  of  Edith  when  she 
opened  her  eyes  and  began  to  comprehend,  somewhat 
confusedly,  her  peculiar  position.  The  savages  watched 
her  movements,  open-mouthed,  with  intense  curiosity, and 
seemed  overjoyed  beyond  expression  when  she  at  length 
recovered  sufficiently  to  exclaim  feebly, — 

"  Where  am  I  ?  where  are  you  taking  me  to  ?  " 

We  need  scarcely  add  that  she  received  no  reply  to 
her  questions,  for  the  natives  did  not  understand  a  word 
of  her  language ;  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  names 
of  one  or  two  familiar  objects,  she  did  not  understand  a 
word  of  theirs.  Of  how  far  or  how  long  they  travelled 
Edith  could  form  no  idea,  as  she  slept  profoundly  during 
the  journey,  and  did  not  thoroughly  recover  her  strength 
and  faculties  until  after  her  arrival  at  the  camp. 


318  UXGAVA. 

For  many  days  after  reaching  the  Esquimaux  village 
poor  Edith  did  nothing  but  weep  :  for,  besides  the  mis 
erable  circumstances  in  which  she  was  now  placed,  she 
was  much  too  considerate  and  unselfish  in  her  nature 
to  forget  that  her  parents  would  experience  all  the 
misery  of  supposing  her  dead ;  and  added  to  this  was 
the  terrible  supposition  that  the  natives  into  whose  hands 
she  had  fallen  might  never  hear  of  Fort  Chimo.  The 
distracted  child  did  her  utmost,  by  means  of  signs,  to 
make  them  understand  that  such  a  place  existed  ;  but  her 
efforts  were  of  no  avail.  Either  she  was  not  eloquent 
in  the  language  of  signs,  or  the  natives  were  obtuse.  As 
time  abated  the  first  violence  of  her  grief,  she  began  to 
entertain  a  hope  that  ere  long  some  wandering  natives 
might  convey  intelligence  of  her  to  the  fur  traders.  As 
this  hope  strengthened  she  became  more  cheerful,  and 
resolved  to  make  a  number  of  little  ornaments  with 
her  name  inscribed  on  them,  which  she  meant  to  hang 
round  the  necks  of  the  chief  men  of  the  tribe,  so  that, 
should  any  of  them  ever  chance  to  meet  with  the  fur 
traders,  these  ornaments  might  form  a  clew  to  her  strange 
residence. 

A  small  medal  of  whalebone  seemed  to  her  the  most 
appropriate  and  tractable  material,  but  it  cost  her  many 
long  and  weary  hours  to  cut  a  circular  piece  of  this  tough 
material  with  the  help  of  an  Esquimaux  knife.  When 
she  had  done  it,  however,  several  active  boys,  who  had 
watched  the  operation  with  much  curiosity  and  interest, 
no  sooner  understood  what  she  wished  to  make  than  they 
set  to  work  and  cut  several  round  pieces  of  ivory,  or  walrus 
tusk,  which  they  presented  to  their  little  guest,  who 
scratched  the  name  EDITH  on  them  and  hung  them 
round  the  necks  of  the  chief  men  of  the  tribe.  The 


UXGAVA.  319 

Esquimaux  smiled  and  patted  the  child's  fair  head  kindly 
as  they  received  this  piece  of  attention,  which  they  flat 
tered  themselves,  no  doubt,  was  entirely  disinterested  and 
complimentary. 

Winter  wore  gradually  away,  and  the  ice  upon  the  sea 
began  to  show  symptoms  of  decay  opposite  to  the  camp 
of  the  Esquimaux.  During  the  high  winds  of  spring  the 
drift  had  buried  the  village  so  completely  that  the  bee 
hives  were  scarcely  visible,  and  the  big  black  bees  walked 
about  on  the  top  of  their  igloes,  and  had  to  cut  deep 
down  in  order  to  get  into  them.  For  some  time  past  the 
natives  had  been  unsuccessful  in  their  seal  hunting,  and 
as  seals  and  walruses  constituted  their  chief  means  of 
support  they  were  reduced  to  short  allowance.  Edith's 
portion,  however,  had  never  yet  been  curtailed.  It  was 
cooked  for  her  over  the  stone  lamp  belonging  to  an  ex 
ceedingly  fat  young  woman,  whose  igloe  was  next  to  that 
of  the  little  stranger,  and  whose  heart  had  been  touched 
by  the  child's  sorrow, — afterwards  it  was  more  deeply 
touched  by  her  gratitude  and  affection.  This  woman's 
name  was  Kaga,  and  she,  with  the  rest  of  her  tribe,  hav 
ing  been  instructed  carefully  by  Edith  in  the  pronuncia 
tion  of  her  own  name,  ended  in  calling  their  little  guest 
Eeduck  !  Kaga  had  a  stout  burly  husband,  named  An- 
natock,  who  was  the  best  hunter  in  the  tribe  ;  she  also 
had  a  nephew  about  twelve  or  fourteen  years  old,  named 
Peetoot,  who  was  very  fond  of  Edith  and  extremely  at 
tentive  to  her.  Kaga  had  also  a  baby, — a  mere  bag  of 
fat, — to  which  Edith  became  so  attached  that  she  almost 
constituted  herself  its  regular  nurse,  and  when  the  weather 
was  bad,  so  as  to  confine  her  to  the  house,  she  used  to 
take  it  from  its  mother,  carry  it  off  to  her  own  igloe,  and 
play  with  it  the  whole  day,  much  in  the  same  way  as 


320  UN'GAVA. 

little  girls  play  with  dolls, — with  this  difference,  how 
ever,  that  she  considerately  restrained  herself  from 
banging  its  nose  against  the'  floor  or  punching  out  its 
eyes! 

It  was  a  bright,  clear,  warm  day.  Four  mock  suns 
encircled,  and  emulated  in  brilliancy,  their  great  original. 
The  balmy  air  was  beginning  to  melt  the  surface  of  the 
snow,  and  the  igloes  that  had  stood  firm  for  full  half  a 
year  were  gradually  becoming  dangerous  to  walk  over 
and  unsafe  to  sit  under.  Considerable  bustle  prevailed 
in  the  camp,  for  a  general  seal-hunting  expedition  was 
on  foot  and  the  men  of  the  tribe  were  preparing  their 
dog-sledges  and  their  spears. 

Edith  was  in  her  igloe  of  ice,  seated  on  the  soft  pile 
of  deer-skins  which  formed  her  bed  at  night  and  her  sofa 
by  day,  and  worrying  Kaga's  baby,  which  laughed  vocif 
erously.  The  inside  of  this  house  or  apartment  beto 
kened  the  taste  and  neatness  of  its  occupant.  The  snow 
roof  having  begun  to  melt,  had  been  removed,  and  was 
replaced  by  slabs  of  ice,  which,  with  the  transparent 
walls,  admitted  the  sun's  rays  in  a  soft  bluish  light,  which 
cast  a  fairylike  charm  over  the  interior.  On  a  shelf  of 
ice,  which  had  been  neatly  fitted  into  the  wall  by  her 
friend  Peetoot,  lay  a  rude  knife,  a  few  pieces  of  whale 
bone  and  ivory,  (the  remains  of  the  material  of  which 
her  medals  had  been  made,)  and  an  ivory  cup.  The 
floor  was  covered  with  willow  matting,  and  on  the  raised 
half  of  it  were  spread  several  deer-skins  with  the  hair 
on.  A  canopy  of  willow  boughs  was  erected  over  this. 
On  another  shelf  of  ice,  near  the  head  of  the  bed,  stood 
a  small  stone  lamp,  which  had  been  allowed  to  go  out, 
the  weather  being  warm.  The  only  other  articles  of 
furniture  in  this  simple  apartment  were  a  square  table 


UNGAVA.  321 

and  a  square  stool,  both  made  of  ice-blocks  and  covered 
with  seal-skins. 

While  Edith  and  her  living  doll  were  in  the  height  of 
their  uproarious  intercourse,  they  were  interrupted  by 
Peetoot,  who  burst  into  the  room,  more  like  a  hairy  wild- 
man-o'-the-wood  than  a  human  being.  He  carried  a 
short  spear  in  one  hand,  and  with  the  other  pointed  in 
the  direction  of  the  shore,  at  the  same  time  uttering  a 
volley  of  unintelligible  sounds  which  terminated  with  an 
emphatic — "  Eeduck  !  " 

Edith's  love  for  conversation,  whether  she  made  her 
self  understood  or  not,  had  increased  rather  than  abated 
in  her  peculiar  circumstances. 

"  What  is  it,  Peetoot  ?  Why  do  you  look  so  excited  ? 
Oh,  dear !  I  wish  I  understood  you,  indeed  I  do ;  but  it's 
of  no  use  your  speaking  so  fast, — (be  quiet,  baby,  dar 
ling,) — I  see  you  want  me  to  do  or  say  something:  what 
can  it  be,  I  wonder ! " 

Edith  looked  into  the  boy's  face  with  an  air  of  per 
plexity. 

Again  Peetoot  commenced  to  vociferate  and  gesticulate 
violently ;  but  seeing,  as  he  had  often  seen  before,  that 
his  young  friend  did  not  appear  to  be  much  enlightened, 
he  seized  her  by  the  arm,  and,  as  a  more  summary  and 
practical  way  of  explaining  himself,  dragged  her  towards 
the  door  of  the  hut. 

"  Oh  !  the  baby  ! "  screamed  Edith,  breaking  from  him 
and  placing  her  charge  in  the  farthest  and  safest  part  of 
the  couch,  "  Now,  I'll  go  with  you,  though  I  don't  under 
stand  what  you  want ;  well !  I  suppose  I  shall  find  out  in 
time,  as  usual." 

Having  led  Edith  towards  the  beach,  Peetoot  pointed 
to  his  uncle's  sledge,  to  which  the  dogs  were  already 

21 


322  UNGAVA 

harnessed,  and  made  signs  that  Edith  should  go  with 
them. 

"  Oh  !  I  understand  you  now.  Well,  it  is  a  charming 
day,  I  think  I  will.  Do  you  think  Annatock  will  let  me  ? 
Oh  !  you  don't  understand.  Never  mind  ;  wait  till  I  put 
on  my  hood  and  return  the  baby  to  its  mother." 

In  two  minutes  Edith  reappeared  in  her  fur  cloak  and 
Indian  hood,  with  the  fat  baby  sprawling  and  laughing 
on  her  shoulder.  That  baby  never  cried.  It  seemed  as 
though  it  had  resolved  to  substitute  laughing  in  its  stead. 
Once  only  had  Edith  seen  tears  in  its  little  black  eyes, 
and  that  was  when  she  had  given  it  a  spoonful  of  soup  so 
hot  that  its  mouth  was  scalded  by  it. 

Several  of  the  sledges  had  already  left  the  island  and 
were  flying  at  full  speed  over  the  frozen  sea,  deviating 
ever  and  anon  from  the  straight  line  in  order  to  avoid  a 
hummock  of  ice,  or  a  gap  of  open  water  caused  by  the 
separation  of  masses  at  the  falling  of  the  tide,  while  the 
men  shouted,  and  the  dogs  yelled  as  they  observed  the 
flourish  of  the  cruelly  long  and  heavy  lash. 

"  Shall  I  get  in  ? "  said  Edith  to  Annatock,  with  an 
inquiring  look,  as  she  approached  the  place  where  the 
sledge  was  standing. 

The  Esquimaux  nodded  his  shaggy  head,  and  showed 
a  row  of  remarkably  white  teeth  environed  by  a  thick 
black  beard  and  mustache,  by  way  of  reply  to  the  look 
of  the  child. 

With  a  laughing  nod  to  Kaga,  who  stood  watching 
them,  Edith  stepped  in  and  seated  herself  on  a  deer-skin 
robe ;  Annatock  and  Peetoot  sat  down  beside  her ;  the 
enormous  whip  gave  a  crack  like  a  pistol  shot,  and  the 
team  of  fifteen  dogs  uttering  a  loud  cry  bounded  away 
over  the  sea. 


UXGAVA.  323 

The  sledge  on  which  Edith  was  seated  was  formed 
very  much  in  the  same  manner  as  the  little  sled  which 
had  been  made  for  her  at  Fort  Chimo.  It  was  very 
much  larger,  however,  and  could  have  easily  held  eight 
or  ten  persons.  The  runners,  which  wrore  shod  with 
frozen  mud,  (a  substance  that  was  now  becoming  nearly 
unfit  for  use,  owing  to  the  warm  weather,)  were  a  perfect 
wonder  of  ingenuity, — as,  indeed,  was  the  whole  machine, 
— being  pieced  and  lashed  together  with  lines  of  raw 
hide  in  the  most  complicated  manner,  and  very  neatly. 
The  dogs  were  each  fastened  by  a  separate  line  to  the 
sledge,  the  best  dog  being  placed  in  the  centre  and  hav 
ing  the  longest  line,  while  the  others  were  attached  by 
lines  proportionably  shorter  according  to  the  distance  of 
each  from  the  leading  dog,  and  the  outsiders  being  close1 
to  the  runners  of  the  sledge.  All  the  lines  were  attached 
to  the  front  bar  of  the  machine.  There  were  many  ad 
vantages  attending  this  mode  of  harnessing,  among  which 
wrere,  the  readiness  with  which  any  dog  could  be  attached 
or  detached  without  affecting  the  others,  and  the  ease 
with  which  Annatock,  when  so  inclined,  could  lay  hold 
of  the  line  of  a  refractory  dog,  haul  him  back  without 
stopping  the  others,  and  give  him  a  cuffing.  This,  how 
ever,  was  seldom  done,  as  the  driver  could  touch  any 
member  of  the  team  with  the  point  of  his  whip.  The 
handle  of  this  terrible  instrument  was  not  much  more 
than  eighteen  or  twenty  inches  long,  but  the  lash  was 
upwards  of  six  yards !  Near  the  handle  it  was  about 
three  inches  broad,  being  thick  cords  of  walrus  hide 
platted ;  it  gradually  tapered  towards  the  point,  where  it 
terminated  in  a  fine  line  of  the  same  material.  While 
driving,  the  long  lash  of  this  whip  trails  on  the  snow  be 
hind  the  sledge,  and  by  a  peculiar  sleight  of  hand  its 
serpentine  coils  can  be  brought  up  for  instant  use. 


324  UNGAVA. 

No  backwoodsman  of  Kentucky  was  ever  more  perfect 
in  the  use  of  his  pea-rifle,  or  more  certain  of  his  aim, 
than  was  Annatock  with  his  murderous  whip.  He  was  a 
dead  shot,  so  to  speak.  He  could  spread  intense  alarm 
among  the  dogs  by  causing  the  heavy  coil  to  whiz  over 
them  within  a  hair's  breadth  of  their  heads  ;  or  he  could 
gently  touch  the  extreme  tip  of  the  ear  of  a  skulker,  to 
remind  him  of  his  duty  to  his  master  and  his  comrades ; 
or,  in  the  event  of  the  warning  being  neglected,  he  could 
bring  the  point  down  on  his  flank  with  a  crack  like  a 
pistol  shot,  that  would  cause  skin  and  hair  to  fly,  and 
spread  yelping  dismay  among  the  entire  pack.  And  how 
they  did  run  !  The  sledge  seemed  a  mere  feather  behind 
the  powerful  team.  They  sprang  forth  at  full  gallop, 
now  bumping  over  a  small  hummock  or  diverging  to 
avoid  a  large  one ;  anon  springing  across  a  narrow  gap  in 
the  ice,  or  sweeping  like  the  snow-drift  over  the  white 
plain  ;  while  the  sledge  sprang  and  swung  and  bounded 
madly  on  behind  them,  and  Annatock  shouted  as  he 
flourished  his  great  whip  in  the  excitement  of  their  rapid 
flight,  and  Peetoot  laughed  with  wild  delight,  and  Edith 
sat  clasping  her  hands  tightly  over  her  knees, — her  hood 
thrown  back,  her  fair  hair  blown  straight  out  by  the 
breeze,  her  cheeks  flushed,  her  lips  parted,  and  her  eyes 
sparkling  with  emotion,  as  they  whirled  along  in  their 
mad  and  swift  career  ! 

In  half  an  hour  the  low  village  was  out  of  sight,  and 
in  half  an  hour  more  they  arrived  at  the  place  where 
a  number  of  the  Esquimaux  were  scattered  in  twos 
and  threes  over  the  ice,  searching  for  seal-holes  and 
preparing  to  catch  them. 

"  What  is  that  man  doing  ?  "  cried  Edith,  pointing  to 
an  Esquimaux  who,  having  found  a  hole,  had  built  a 


UNGAVA.  325 

semicircular  wall  of  snow  round  it  to  protect  him  from 
the  light  breeze  that  was  blowing,  and  was  sitting,  when 
Edith  observed  him,  in  the  attitude  of  one  who  listened 
intently.  The  hood  of  his  seal-skin  coat  was  over  his 
head,  so  that  his  features  were  concealed.  At  his  feet 
lay  a  stout  barbed  seal-spear,  the  handle  of  which  was 
made  of  wood,  and  the  barb  and  lower  part  of  ivory. 
A  tough  line  was  attached  to  this,  and  the  other  end 
of  it  was  fastened  round  the  man's  waist ;  for,  when  an 
Esquimaux  spears  a  seal,  he  prepares  to  conquer  or  to 
die.  If  he  does  not  haul  the  animal  out  of  the  hole, 
there  is  every  probability  that  it  will  haul  him  into  it. 
But  the  Esquimaux  has  laid  it  down  as  nn  axiom,  that 
a  man  is  more  than  a  match  for  a  seal ;  therefore  he  ties 
the  line  round  his  waist, — which  is  very  much  like  nail 
ing  the  colors  to  the  mast.  There  seems  to  be  no  al 
lowance  made  for  the  chance  of  an  obstreperously  large 
seal  allowing  himself  to  be  harpooned  by  a  preposterously 
small  Esquimaux ;  but  we  suppose  that  this  is  the  excep 
tion  to  the  rule. 

As  Edith  gazed,  the  Esquimaux  put  out  his  hand 
with  the  stealthy  motion  of  a  cat  and  lifted  his  spear. 
The  next  instant  the  young  ice  that  covered  the  hole 
was  smashed,  and,  in  the  instant  after,  the  ivory  barb 
was  deep  in  the  shoulder  of  an  enraged  seal,  which  had 
thus  fallen  a  sacrifice  to  his  desire  for  fresh  air.  The 
Esquimaux  immediately  lay  back  almost  at  full  length, 
with  his  heels  firmly  imbedded  in  two  notches  cut  in  the 
ice  at  the  edge  of  the  hole  ;  the  seal  dived,  and  the  man's 
waist  seemed  to  be  nearly  cut  in  two.  But  the  rope  was 
tough  and  the  man  was  stout,  and,  although  the  seal  was 
both,  it  was  conquered  in  the  course  of  a  quarter  of  an< 
hour,  hauled  out,  and  thrown  exultingly  upon  the  ice. 


326  UNGAVA. 

This  man  had  only  watched  at  the  seal-hole  a  couple 
of  hour?,  but  the  natives  frequently  sit  behind  their  snow 
walls  for  the  greater  part  of  a  day,  almost  without  mov 
ing  hand  or  foot. 

Having  witnessed  this  capture,  Annatock  drove  on  un 
til  the  most  of  his  countrymen  were  left  behind.  Sud 
denly  he  called  to  the  dogs  to  halt,  and  spoke  in  a  deep, 
earnest  tone  to  his  nephew,  while  both  of  them  gazed 
intently  towards  a  particular  quarter  of  the  sea.  Edith 
looked  in  the  same  direction,  and  soon  saw  the  object 
that  attracted  their  attention,  but  the  only  thing  it  seemed 
like  to  her  was  an  enormous  cask  or  barrel. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  said  she  to  Peetoot,  as  Annatock  se 
lected  his  largest  ppear  and  hastened  towards  the  object. 

Of  course  Edith  received  no  reply  save  a  broad  grin  ; 
but  the  little  fellow  followed  up  this  remark,  if  we  may 
so  call  it,  by  drawing  his  finger  through  his  lips,  and 
licking  them  in  a  most  significant  manner.  Meanwhile 
Annatock  advanced  rapidly  towards  the  object  of  in 
terest,  keeping  carefully  behind  hummocks  of  ice  as  he 
went,  and  soon  drew  near  enough  to  make  certain  that 
it  was  a  walrus,  apparently  sound  asleep,  with  its  blunt 
snout  close  to  its  hole,  ready  to  plunge  in  should  an 
enemy  appear. 

Annatock  now  advanced  more  cautiously,  and  when 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  huge  monster,  lay  down 
.at  full  length  on  his  breast,  and  began  to  work  his  way 
towards  it  after  the  manner  of  a  seal.  He  was  so  like 
.a  seal,  in  his  hairy  garments,  that  he  might  easily  have 
been  mistaken  for  one  by  a  more  intellectual  animal  than 
a  walrus.  But  the  walrus  did  not  awake,  and  he  ap 
proached  to  within  ten  yards.  Then,  rising  suddenly  to 
his  leet,  Annatock  poised  the  heavy  Aveapon  and  threw  it 


UNGAVA.  327 

with  full  force  against  the  animal's  side.  It  struck,  and, 
as  if  it  had  fallen  on  an  adamantine  rock,  .it  bounded 
off  and  fell  upon  the  ice,  with  its  hard  point  shattered 
and  its  handle  broken  in  two. 

For  one  instant  Annatock's  face  blazed  with  surprise, 
the  next,  it  relapsed  into  fifty  dimples,  as  he  roared  and 
tossed  up  bis  arms  with  delight  at  the  discovery  that  the 
walrus  had  been  frozen  to  death  beside  its  hole  ! 

This  catastrophe  is  not  of  (infrequent  occuri'ence  to 
these  elephants  of  the  northern  seas.  They  are  in  the 
habit  of  coming  up  occasionally  through  their  holes  in 
the  ice  to  breathe,  and  sometimes  they  crawl  out  in  or 
der  to  sleep  on  the  ice,  secure,  in  the  protection  of  their 
superabundant  fat,  from  being  frozen, — at  least  easily. 
When  they  have  had  enough  of  sleep,  or  when  the  prick 
ling  sensation  on  their  skin  warns  them  that  nothing  is 
proof  against  the  cold  of  the  Polar  Seas,  and  that  they 
will  infallibly  freeze  if  they  do  not  make  a  precipitate 
retreat  to  the  comparatively  warm  waters  below,  they 
scramble  to  their  holes,  crush  down  the  new  ice  with 
their  tusks  and  thick  heads,  and  plunge  in.  But  some 
times  the  ice  which  forms  on  the  holes  when  they  are 
asleep  is  too  strong  to  be  thus  broken,  in  which  case 
the  hapless  monster  lays  him  down  and  dies. 

Such  was  the  fate  of  the  walrus  which  Annatock  was 
now  cutting  up  with  his  axe  into  portable  blocks  of 
beef.  For  several  days  previous  to  the  thaw  which  had 
now  set  in,  the  weather  had  been  intensely  cold,  and  the 
walrus  had  perished  in  consequence  of  its  ambitious 
desire  to  repose  in  the  regions  above. 

Not  far  from  the  spot  where  this  fortunate  discovery 
had  been  made,  there  was  a  large  sheet  of  recently 
formed  black  ice,  where  the  main  ice  had  been  broken 


328  UNGAVA. 

away  and  the  open  water  left.  The  sheet,  although 
much  melted  by  the  thaw,  was  still  about  three  inches 
thick,  and  quite  capable  of  supporting  a  man.  While 
Annatock  was  working  with  his  back  to  this  ice,  he  heard 
a  tremendous  crash  take  place  behind  him.  Turning 
hastily  round,  he  observed  that  the  noise  was  caused  by 
another  enormous  walrus,  the  glance  of  whose  large 
round  eyes,  and  whose  loud  snort,  showed  clearly  enough 
that  he  was  not  frozen  like  his  unfortunate  companion. 
By  this  time  the  little  boy  had  come  up  with  Edith  and 
the  sledge,  so  Annatock  ordered  him  to  take  the  dogs 
behind  a  hummock  to  keep  them  out  of  sight,  while  he 
selected  several  strong  harpoons  and  a  lance  from  the 
sledge.  Giving  another  lance  to  Peetoot,  he  signed  to 
Edith  to  sit  on  the  hummock  while  he  attacked  the 
grisly  monster  of  the  deep. 

While  these  preparations  were  being  made,  the  walrus 
dived,  and  while  it  was  under  water,  the  man  and  the  boy 
ran  quickly  forward  a  short  distance,  and  then  lay  down 
behind  a  lump  of  ice.  Scarcely  had  they  done  so  when 
the  walrus  came  up  again  with  a  loud  snort,  splashing  the 
water  with  its  broad  heavy  flippers, — which  seemed  a 
sort  of  compromise  between  legs  and  fins, — and  dashing 
waves  over  the  ice,  as  it  rolled  about  its  large  unwieldy 
carcass.  It  was  truly  a  savage-looking  monster,  as  large 
as  a  small  elephant,  and  having  two  tusks  of  a  foot  and 
a  half  long.  The  face  bore  a  horrible  resemblance  to 
that  of  a  man.  Its  crown  was  round  and  bulging,  its 
face  broad  and  massive,  and  a  thick,  bristling  mustache, 
— rough  as  the  spines  of  a  porcupine, — covered  its  upper 
lip,  and  depended  in  a  shaggy  dripping  mass  over  its 
mouth.  After  spluttering  about  a  short  time  it  dived 


UNGAVA.  329 

Now  was  Annatock's  time.  Seizing  a  harpoon  and 
a  coil  of  line,  he  muttered  a  few  words  to  the  boy,  sprang 
up,  and,  running  out  upon  the  smooth  ice,  stood  by  the 
edge  of  the  open  water.  He  had  not  waited  here  more 
than  a  few  seconds  when  the  black  waters  were  cleft  by 
the  blacker  head  of  the  monster,  as  it  once  more  ascended 
to  renew  its  elephantine  gambols  in  the  pool.  As  it  rose 
the  Esquimaux  threw  up  his  arm  and  poised  the  har 
poon.  For  one  instant  the  surprised  animal  raised  itself 
breast-high  out  of  the  water,  and  directed  a  stare  of  in 
tense  astonishment  at  the  man.  That  moment  was  fatal. 
Annatock  buried  the  harpoon  deep  under  its  left  flipper. 
With  a  fierce  bellow  the  brute  dashed  itself  against  the 
ice,  endeavoring  in  its  fury  to  reach  its  assailant ;  but  the 
ice  gave  way  under  its  enormous  weight,  while  Annatock 
ran  back  as  far  as  the  line  attached  to  the  harpoon  would 
permit  him. 

The  walrus,  seeing  that  it  could  not  reach  its  enemy  in 
this  way,  seemed  now  to  be  actually  endued  with  reason. 
It  took  a  long  gaze  at  Annatock,  and  then  dived.  But 
the  Esquimaux  was  prepared  for  this.  He  changed  his 
position  hastily,  and  played  his  line  the  meanwhile,  fixing 
the  point  of  his  lance  into  the  ice,  in  order  to  give  him  a 
more  effective  hold.  Scarcely  had  he  done  so  than  the 
spot  he  had  just  left  was  smashed  up,  and  the  head  of  the 
walrus  appeared,  grinning  and  bellowing  as  if  in  disap 
pointment.  At  this  moment  Peetoot  handed  his  uncle 
a  harpoon,  and,  ere  the  animal  dived,  the  weapon  was 
fixed  in  his  side.  Once  more  Annatock  changed  his  posi 
tion  ;  and  once  again  the  spot  on  which  he  had  been 
standing  was  burst  upAvards.  It  was  a  terrible  sight  to 
see  that  unearthly-looking  monster  smashing  the  ice 
around  it,  and  lashing  the  blood-stained  sea  into  foam, 


330  UXGAVA. 

while  it  waged  such  mortal  war  with  the  self-possessed 
and  wary  man.  .  How  mighty  and  strong  the  one  !  how 
comparatively  weak  and  seemingly  helpless  the  other  !  It 
was  the  triumph  of  mind  over  matter, — of  reason  over 
blind  brute  force.  But  Annatock  fought  a  hard  battle 
that  day  ere  he  came  off  conqueror.  Harpoon  after  har 
poon  was  driven  into  the  walrus, — again  and  again  the 
lance  pierced  deep  into  its  side,  and  drank  its  life-blood ; 
but  three  hours  had  passed  away  before  the  dead  carcass 
was  dragged  from  the  deep  by  the  united  force  of  dogs 
and  man. 

During  this  terrible  combat  Edith  had  looked  on  with 
such  intense  interest,  that  she  could  scarcely  believe  her 
eyes  when  she  found,  from  the  position  of  the  sun,  that 
the  day  was  far  advanced.  It  was  too  late  now  to  think 
of  cutting  up  the  carcasses  without  assistance  ;  so  Anna 
tock  determined  to  return  home  and  tell  his  countrymen 
of  his  good  fortune. 

It  is  a  custom  among  the  Esquimaux  to  consider  every 
animal  that  is  killed  as  the  common  property  of  all, — the 
successful  hunter  being  entitled  to  all  the  titbits,  besides 
his  portion  of  the  equal  dividend  ;  so  that  Annatock  knew 
he  had  only  to  give  the  signal,  and  every  able-bodied 
man  in  the  village,  and  not  a  few  of  the  women  and  chil 
dren,  would  descend  like  vultures  on  the  spoil.  Jumping 
into  his  sledge,  he  stretched  out  his  exhausted  frame  at 
full  length  beside  Edith,  and  committed  the  whip  to  Fee- 
toot. 

"  I'm  so  glad,"  cried  Edith,  with  a  beaming  face,  "  that 
we  have  killed  this  beast.  The  poor  people  will  have 
plenty  to  eat  now." 

"  Ha  !  ha  !  ha  !  "  roared  Peetoot,  giving  increased  em 
phasis  to  each  successive  shout,  and  prolonging  the  last 


UNGAVA.  331 

• 

into  a  yell  of  delight,  as  he  cracked  the  ponderous  whip 
from  side  to  side  like  a  volley  of  pistolry. 

"  Oh,  Peetoot !  "  exclaimed  Edith,  in  a  remonstrative 
tone,  as  the  sledge  swayed  to  and  fro  with  the  rate  at 
which  they  were  sweeping  over  the  plain,  "  don't  drive 
so  fast ;  you  will  kill  the  poor  dogs  ! " 

u  Ho  !  ho  !  ho-o-o  !  Eeduck  !  "  roared  the  boy,  aiming 
a  shot  at  the  leader's  left  ear,  and  bringing  the  thick 
end  of  the  whip  down  on  the  flanks  of  the  six  hindmost 
dogs. 

Thus,  amid  a  volley  of  roars,  remonstrances,  yells, 
yelps,  and  pistolry,  Edith  and  her  friends  scoured  over 
the  frozen  sea,  and  swept  into  the  Esquimaux  camp  like 
a  whirlwind. 


332  UXGAVA. 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

ANOTHER    DESPERATE     BATTLE,    AND    A   DECIDED    VICTORY— THE 
ESQUIMAUX  SUFFER  A  SEVERE  LOSS. 

THE  night  that  followed  the  day  of  which  we  have 
given  an  account  in  the  last  chapter,  was  a  night  of 
rest  to  Edith,  but  not  to  the  Esquimaux. 

Scarcely  allowing  themselves  time  to  harness  their 
dogs,  after  the  news  reached  them,  they  set  off  for  the 
scene  of  action  in  a  body.  Every  sledge  was  engaged  ; 
every  able-bodied  male  and  female  started.  Jsone  were 
left  in  camp  except  the  sick,  of  whom  there  were  few — 
and  the  aged,  of  whom  there  were  fewer.  While  engaged 
in  the  hurried  preparations  for  departure  the  women  sang 
with  delight,  for  they  had  been  living  on  very  short 
allowance  for  some  weeks  past,  and  starvation  had  been 
threatening  them  ;  so  that  the  present  success  diffused 
among  these  poor  creatures  a  universal  feeling  of  joy.  But 
their  preparations  were  not  numerous.  A  short  scene  of 
excited  bustle  followed  Annatock's  arrival,  a  few  yells 
from  the  dogs  at  starting,  and  the  deserted  camp  was  so 
silent  and  desolate,  that  it  seemed  as  if  human  beings  had 
not  been  there  for  centuries. 

It  did  not  continue  long,  however,  in  this  state.  Two 
or  three  hours  later,  and  the  first  of  the  return  parties 
arrived,  groaning  under  the  burdens  they  carried  and 
dragged  behind  them.  The  walrus-flesh  was  packed  on 
the  dog-sledges ;  but  as  for  the  few  seals  that  had  been 


UNGAVA.  333 

caught,  they  were  sledges  to  themselves, — cords  being 
tied  to  their  tails,  to  which  a  dozen  natives  attached 
themselves,  and  dragged  the  carcasses  over  the  snow. 

Peetoot,  whose  spirit  that  night  seemed  to  be  intoxi 
cated  with  success,  and  who  felt  that  he  was  the  lion  of 
the  night  (after  Annatock  !),  seated  himself  astride  of  one 
of  the  dead  seals,  and  was  dragged  into  camp  on  this 
novel  sledge,  shouting  a  volley  of  unintelligible  jargon  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  in  the  midst  of  which  "  Eeduck  "  fre 
quently  resounded.  At  length  the  last  lingerer  arrived  ; 
and  then  began  a  feast  of  the  most  extraordinary  kind. 
The  walrus-flesh  was  first  conveyed  to  the  igloe  of  Anna 
tock,  where  it  was  cut  up,  and  distributed  among  the 
natives.  The  women  seemed  quite  frantic  with  joy,  and 
went  about  from  hut  to  hut  embracing  one  another,  by 
way  of  congratulation.  Soon  the  lamps  of  the  village 
were  swimming  with  oil,  the  steaks  stewing  and  roasting, 
the  children  provided  with  pieces  of  raw  blubber  to  keep 
them  quiet  while  the  larger  portions  were  being  cooked, 
and  the  entire  community  gormandizing  and  rejoicing  as 
savages  are  wont  to  do  when  suddenly  visited  with  plenty 
in  the  midst  of  starvation. 

During  all  this  scene  Edith  went  about  from  hut  to 
hut  enjoying  herself.  Nay,  reader,  be  not  horrified ;  thou 
knowest  not  the  pliable  and  accommodating  nature  of  hu 
manity.  Edith  did  not  enjoy  the  filth  by  which  she  was 
surrounded, — far  from  it ;  neither  did  she  enjoy  the  sight 
of  raw  blubber  being  sucked  by  little  babies,  especially 
by  her  own  favorite ;  but  she  did  enjoy  the  sight  of  so 
much  plenty  where,  but  a  few  hours  ago,  starvation  had 
begun  to  threaten  a  visit ;  and  she  did  enjoy  and  heartily 
sympathize  with  the  undoubted  and  great  happiness  of 
her  hospitable  friends.  A  very  savory  dish,  with  a  due 


334  UXGAVA. 

proportion  of  lean  to  the  fat,  cut  specially  to  suit  her 
taste,  smoked  on  Eeduck's  table  that  night,  and  Peetoot 
and  the  baby  helped  her  to  eat  it.  Really  it  would  be  a 
matter  of  nice  calculation  to  ascertain  whether  Peetoot  or 
the  baby  laughed  most  on  this  jovial  occasion.  Undoubt 
edly  the  former  had  the  best  of  it  in  regard  to  mere  noise  ; 
nevertheless  the  pipe  of  the  latter  was  uncommonly  shrill, 
and  at  times  remarkably  racy  and  obstreperous.  But  as 
the  hours  flew  by,  the  children  throughout  the  camp  gen 
erally  fell  asleep,  while  their  seniors  sat  quietly  and  con 
tentedly  round  their  kettles  and  lamps,  eating  and  slum 
bering  by  turns.  The  amount  of  food  consumed  was 
enormous,  and  quite  beyond  the  belief  of  men  accustomed 
to  the  appetites  of  temperate  zones  ;  but  we'  beg  them  to 
remember  that  arctic  frosts  require  to  be  met  with  arctic 
stimulants,  and  of  these,  an  immense  quantity  of  unctuous 
food  is  the  best. 

Next  morning  the  Esquimaux  were  up  and  away  by 
daybreak,  with  their  dogs  and  sledges,  to  bring  home  the 
remainder  of  the  walrus-meat ;  for  these  poor  people  are 
not  naturally  improvident,  and  do  not  idle  their  time  in 
luxurious  indolence  until  necessity  urges  them  forth  again 
in  search  of  food.  In  this  respect  they  are  superior  to 
Indians,  who  are  notoriously  improvident  and  regardless 
of  the  morrow. 

This  day  was  signalized  by  another  piece  of  success 
on  the  part  of  Annatock  and  his  nephew,  who  went  to 
the  scene  of  yesterday's  battle  on  foot.  Edith  remained 
behind,  having  resolved  to  devote  herself  entirely  to  the 
baby,  to  make  up  for  her  neglect  of  the  previous  day. 
On  reaching  the  place  where  the  walrus  had  been  slain, 
Annatock  cut  off  and  bound  up  a  portion  with  which  lie 
intended  to  return  to  the  camp.  While  he  was  thus  em- 


UNGAVA.  335 

ployed,  along  with  a  dozen  or  more  of  his  countrymen, 
Peetoot  came  running  towards  him,  saying  that  he  thought 
he  saw  a  seal  lying  on  the  ice  far  ahead.  Having  a  har 
poon  and  two  spears  with  them,  Annatock  left  his  work 
and  followed  his  nephew  to  the  spot  where  it  was  sup 
posed  to  be  lying.  But  on  reaching  the  place  they  found 
that  it  was  gone,  and  a  few  bells  floating  at  the  surface 
of  the  hole  showed  where  it  had  made  its  descent  to  the 
element  below.  With  the  characteristic  indifference  of  a 
man  accustomed  to  the  vicissitudes  and  the  disappointments 
of  a  hunter's  life,  the  elder  Esquimaux  uttered  a  grunt 
and  turned  away.  But  he  had  not  proceeded  more  than 
a  few  paces  when  his  eye  became  rivetted  on  the  track 
of  some  animal  on  the  ice,  which  appeared  to  his  prac 
tised  eye  to  be  quite  fresh.  Upon  examination  this 
proved  to  be  the  case,  and  Annatock  spoke  earnestly 
for  a  few  minutes  with  his  nephew.  The  boy  appeared 
from  his  gestures  to  be  making  some  determined  re 
marks,  and  seemed  not  a  little  hurt  at  the  doubting 
way  in  which  his  uncle  shook  his  head.  At  length 
Peetoot  seized  a  spear,  and,  turning  away,  followed  the 
track  of  the  animal  with  a  rapid  and  determined  air ; 
while  Annatock,  grasping  the  other  spear,  followed  in  the 
boy's  track. 

A  brisk  walk  of  half  an  hour  over  the  ice  and  hum 
mocks  of  the  sea  carried  them  out  of  sight  of  their  com 
panions,  but  did  not  bring  them  up  with  the  animal  of 
which  they  were  in  chase.  At  length  Peetoot  halted, 
and  stooped  to  scrutinize  the  track  more  attentively.  As 
he  did  so  an  enormous  white  bear  stalked  out  from  be 
hind  a  neighboring  hummock  of  ice,  and,  after  gazing  at 
him  for  a  second  or  two,  turned  round  and  walked  slowly 
away. 


336  UNGAVA. 

The  elder  Esquimaux  cast  a  doubtful  glance  at  his 
nephew,  while  he  lowered  the  point  of  his  spear  and 
seemed  to  hesitate;  but  the  boy  did  not  wait.  Levelling 
his  spear,  he  uttered  a  wild  shout  and  ran  towards  the 
animal,  which  instantly  turned  towards  the  approaching 
enemy  with  a  look  of  defiance.  If  Annatock  had  enter 
tained  any  doubts  of  his  nephew's  courage  before,  he  had 
none  now  ;  so,  casting  aside  all  further  thought  on  the 
subject,  he  ran  forward  along  with  him  to  attack  the 
bear.  This  was  a  matter  attended  with  much  danger, 
however,  and  there  was  some  reason  in  the  man  feeling 
a  little  uncertainty  as  to  the  courage  of  a  youth  who,  he 
was  aware,  now  faced  a  bear  for  the  first  time  in  his 
life. 

At  first  the  two  hunters  advanced  side  by  side  to 
wards  the  fierce-looking  monster,  but  as  they  drew  near 
they  separated,  and  approached  one  on  the  right,  the 
other  on  the  left  of  the  bear.  As  it  was  determined  that 
Annatock  should  give  the  death  wound,  he  went  towards 
the  left  side  and  hung  back  a  moment,  while  Peetoot 
advanced  to  the  right.  When  about  three  yards  distant 
the  bear  rose.  The  action  had  a  powerful  and  visible 
effect  upon  the  boy  ;  for,  as  polar  bears  are  comparatively 
long-bodied  and  short-legged,  their  true  proportions  are 
not  fully  displayed  until  they  rear  on  their  hind  legs.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  animal  actually  grew  taller  and  more 
enormous  in  the  act  of  rising,  and  the  boy's  cheek 
blanched  while  he  shrank  backwards  for  a  moment ; — 
it  was  .only  for  a  moment,  however.  A  quick  word  of 
encouragement  from  Annatock  recalled  him  ;  he  stepped 
boldly  forward,  as  the  bear  was  glancing  savagely  from 
side  to  side,  uncertain  which  enemy  to  attack  first,  and, 
thrusting  his  lance  forward,  pricked  it  sharply  on  the  side. 


UNGAVA.  337 

This  decided  the  point.  With  a  ferocious  growl  the  ani 
mal  turned  to  fall  upon  its  insignificant  enemy.  In  doing 
so  its  left  shoulder  was  fully  exposed  to  Annatock,  who, 
with  a  dart  like  lightning,  plunged  his  spear  deep  into  its 
heart.  A  powerful  shudder  shook  the  monster's  frame 
as  it  fell  dead  upon  the  ice. 

Annatock  stood  for  a  few  minutes  leaning  on  his  spear, 
and  regarding  the  bear  with  a  grim  look  of  satisfaction, 
while  Peetoot  laughed,  and  shouted,  and  danced  around 
it  like  a  maniac.  How  long  he  would  have  continued 
these  wild  demonstrations  it  is  difficult  to  say, — probably 
until  he  was  exhausted, — but  his  uncle  brought  them  to 
a  speedy  termination  by  bringing  the  but-end  of  his 
spear  into  smart  contact  with  Peetoot's  flank.  With  a 
howl,  in  which  consternation  mingled  with  his  glee,  the 
boy  darted  away  over  the  ice  like  a  reindeer  to  convey 
the  glad  news  to  his  friends,  and  to  fetch  a  sledge  for  the 
bear's  carcass. 

On  returning  to  the  village  there  was  immediately  in 
stituted  another  royal  feast,  which  continued  from  day  to 
day,  gradually  decreasing  in  joyous  intensity  as  the 
provender  decreased  in  bulk,  until  the  walrus,  the  bear, 
and  the  seals,  were  entirely  consumed. 

Soon  after  this  the  weather  became  decidedly  mild,  and 
the  power  of  the  sun's  rays  were  so  great,  that  the  snow 
on  the  island  and  the  ice  on  the  sea  began  to  be  resolved 
into  water.  During  this  period  several  important  changes 
took  place  in  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Esquimaux. 
The  women,  who  had  worn  deer-skin  shoes  during  the 
winter,  put  on  their  enormous  water-proof  summer  boots. 
The  men,  when  out  on  the  ice  in  search  of  seals,  used  a 
pair  of  wooden  spectacles,  with  two  narrow  slits  to  peep 
through,  in  order  to  protect  their  eyes  from  the  snow- 
22 


338  UNGAVA. 

blindness  caused  by  the  glare  of  the  sun  on  the  ice  and 
snow, — a  complaint  which  is  apt  to  attack  all  arctic 
travellers  in  spring  if  not  guarded  against  by  some  such 
appliance  as  the  clumsy  wooden  spectacles  of  the  Esqui 
maux.  Active  preparations  were  also  made  for  the  erec 
tion  of  skin  summer  tents,  and  the  launching  of  kayaks 
and  oomiaks.  Moreover,  little  boys  were  forbidden  to 
walk,  as  they  had  been  wont  to  do,  on  the  tops  of  the 
snow  houses,  lest  they  should  damage  the  rapidly  decay 
ing  roofs  ;  but  little  boys  in  the  far  north  inherit  that  ten 
dency  to  disobedience  which  is  natural  to  the  children  of 
Adam  all  the  world  over,  and  on  more  than  one  occasion, 
having  ventured  to  run  over  the  igloes,  were  caught  in 
the  act  by  thrusting  of  a  leg  now  and  then  through  the 
roofs  thereof,  to  the  indignation  of  the  inmates  below. 

A  catastrophe  of  this  sort  happened  to  poor  Peetoot, 
not  long  after  the  slaying  of  the  polar  bear,  and  brought 
the  winter  camp  to  an  abrupt  termination. 

Edith  had  been  amusing  herself  in  her  house  of  ice  all 
the  morning  with  her  adopted  baby,  and  was  in  the  act 
of  feeding  it  with  a  choice  morsel  of  seal  fat, — partially 
cooked,  to  avoid  doing  violence  to  her  own  prejudices, 
and  very  much  underdone  in  order  to  suit  the  Esqui 
maux  baby's  taste, — when  Peetoot  rushed  violently  into 
the  hut,  shouted  Eeduck  with  a  boisterous  smile,  seized 
the  baby  in  his  arms,  and  carried  it  off  to  its  mother. 
Edith  was  accustomed  to  have  it  thus  torn  from  her  by 
the  boy,  who  was  usually  sent  as  a  messenger  when  Kaga 
happened  to  desire  the  loan  of  her  offspring. 

The  igloe  in  which  Kaga  and  her  relations  dwelt  was 
the  largest  in  the  village.  It  was  fully  thirty  feet  in 
diameter.  The  passage  leading  to  it  was  a  hundred 
yards  long,  by  five  feet  wide  and  six  feet  high,  and 


UNGAVA.  339 

from  this  passage  branched  several  others  of  various 
lengths,  leading  to  different  storehouses  and  to  other 
dwellings.  The  whiteness  of  the  snow  of  which  this 
princely  mansion  and  its  offices  were  composed  was  not 
much  altered  on  the  exterior,  but  in  the  interior  a  long 
winter  of  cooking  and  stewing  and  general  filthiness 
had  turned  the  walls  and  roofs  quite  black.  Being 
somewhat  lazy,  Peetoot  preferred  the  old  plan  of  walk 
ing  over  this  palace  to  going  round  by  the  entrance, 
which  faced  the  south.  Accordingly,  he  hoisted  the  fat 
and  smiling  infant  on  his  shoulder  and  bounded  over 
the  dome-shaped  roof  of  Kaga's  igloe.  Alas  for  the 
result  of  disobedience  !  No  sooner  had  his  foot  touched 
the  keystone  of  the  arch  than  down  it  went.  Dinner 
was  being  cooked  and  consumed  by  twenty  people  be 
low  at  the  time.  The  keystone  buried  a  joint  of  walrus 
beef,  and  instantly  Peetoot  and  the  baby  lay  sprawling 
on  the  top  of  it.  But  this  was  not  all.  The  roof,  unable 
to  support  its  own  weight,  cracked  and  fell  in  with  a  dire 
crash.  The  men,  women,  and  children,  struggled  to  dis 
entomb  themselves,  and  in  doing  so  mixed  up  the  oil  of 
the  lamp?,  the  soup  of  their  kettles,  the  black  soot  of  the 
walls  and  roof,  the  dogs  that  had  sneaked  in,  the  junks  of 
cooked,  half-cooked,  and  raw  blubber,  and  their  own 
hairy-coated  persons,  into  a  conglomerate  so  atrocious  to 
behold,  or  even  think  upon,  that  we  are  constrained  to 
draw  a  curtain  over  the  scene  and  spare  the  reader's  feel 
ings.  This  event  caused  the  Esquimaux  to  forsake  the 
igloes,  and  pitch  their  skin  tents  on  a  spot  a  little  to  the 
southward  of  their  wintering  ground,  which,  being  more 
exposed  to  the  sun's  rays,  was  now  free  from  snow. 

They  had  not  been  encamped  here  more  than  three 
days  when  an   event  occurred  which  threw  the  camp 


340  UNGAVA. 

into  deep  grief  for  a  time.  This  was  the  loss  of  their 
great  hunter,  Annatock,  husband  of  Kaga.  One  of 
those  tremendous  nor'west  gales,  which  now  and  then 
visit  the  arctic  seas  and  lands  with  such  devastating  fury, 
had  set  in  while  Annatock  was  out  on  the  icefloe  in 
search  of  seals.  Many  of  his  comrades  had  started  with 
him  that  day,  but,  being  a  bold  man,  he  had  pushed  be 
yond  them  all.  When  the  gale  came  on  the  Esquimaux 
hunters  prepared  to  return  home  as  fast  as  possible,  fear 
ing  that  the  decaying  ice  might  break  up  and  drift  away 
with  them  out  to  sea.  Before  starting  they  were 
alarmed  to  find  that  the  seaward  ice  was  actually  in  mo 
tion.  It  was  on  this  ice  that  Annatock  was  employed ; 
and  his  countrymen  would  fain  have  gone  to  warn  him 
of  his  danger,  but  a  gap  of  thirty  feet  already  separated 
.the  floe  from  the  main  ice ;  and,  although  they  could 
perceive  their  friend  in  the  far  distance,  busily  employed 
on  the  ice,  they  could  not  make  their  voices  heard.  As 
the  gale  increased  the  floe  drifted  faster  out  to  sea,  and 
Annatock  was  observed  running  anxiously  towards  the 
land ;  but  before  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  ice-raft  on 
which  he  stood,  the  increasing  distance  and  the  drifting 
clouds  of  snow,  hid  him  from  view.  Then  his  compan 
ions,  fearful  for  their  own  safety,  hastened  back  to  the 
camp  with  the  sad  news. 

At  first  Kaga  seemed  quite  inconsolable,  and  Edith 
exerted  herself  as  a  comforter  without  success ;  but  as 
time  wore  on  the  poor  woman's  grief  abated,  and  hope 
began  to  revive  within  her  bosom.  She  recollected  that 
the  event  which  had  befallen  her  husband  had  befallen 
some  of  her  friends  before  in  exactly  similar  circum 
stances,  and  that,  although  on  many  occasions  the  result 
.had  been  fatal,  there  were  not  a  few  instances  in  which 


UNGAVA.  341 

the  lost  ones  had  been  driven  on  their  ice-raft  to  distant 
parts  of  the  shore,  and  after  months,  sometimes  years,  of 
hardship  and  suffering,  had  returned  to  their  families  and 
homes. 

Still  this  hope  was  at  best  a  poor  one.  For  the  few 
instances  there  were  of  return  from  such  dangers,  there 
were  dozens  in  which  the  poor  Esquimaux  were  never 
heard  of  more ;  and  the  heart  of  the  woman  sank  within 
her  as  she  thought  of  the  terrible  night  on  which  her 
husband  was  lost,  and  the  great,  stormy,  ice-laden  sea, 
over  whose  surging  bosom  he  was  drifted.  But  the 
complex  machinery  of  this  world  is  set  in  motion  and 
guided  by  One  whose  power  and  wisdom  infinitely  tran 
scend  those  of  the  most  exalted  of  his  creatures  ;  and 
it  is  a  truth  well  worthy  of  being  reiterated  and  re- 
impressed  upon  our  memories,  that  in  His  hands  those 
events  that  seem  most  adverse  to  man  often  turn  out  to 
be  for  his  good. 


342  UKGAVA 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

EDITH  WAXES  MELANCHOLY,  BUT  HER  SADNESS  IS  SUDDENLY 
TURNED  INTO  JOY;  AND  THE  ESQUIMAUX  RECEIVE  A  SURPRISE. 
AND  FIND  A  FRIEND,  AND  LOSE  ONE. 

THE  sea !  How  many  stout  hearts  thrill,  and  manly 
bosoms  swell,  at  the  sound  of  that  little  word  ;  or, 
rather,  at  the  thought  of  all  that  it  conveys  !  How 
many  there  are  that  reverence  and  love  thy  power  and 
beauty,  thy  freedom  and  majesty,  O  sea  !  Wherein  con 
sists  the  potent  charm  that  draws  mankind  towards  thee 
with  such  irresistible  affection  ?  Is  it  in  the  calm  tran 
quillity  of  thy  waters,  when  thou  liest  like  a  sheet  of 
crystal,  with  a  bright  refulgent  sky  reflected  in  thy  soft 
bosom,  and  the  white  ships  resting  there  as  if  in  empty 
space,  and  the  glad  seamevvs  rippling  thy  surface  for  a 
brief  moment  and  then  sailing  from  the  blue  below  to  the, 
deeper  blue  above,  and  the  soft  song  of  thy  wavelets  as 
they  slide  upon  the  chingly  shore  or  lip  among  the  caves 
and  hollows  of  the  rocks  ?  Or  is  it  in  the  loud  roar  of 
thy  billows,  as  they  dash,  and  fume,  and  lash,  in  fury  on 
the  coast  that  dares  to  curb  thy  might  ? — that  might 
which,  commencing,  mayhap,  in  the  torrid  zone  of  the 
south,  has  rolled  and  leaped  in  majesty  across  the  waste  of 
waters  ;  tossed  leviathans,  as  playthings,  in  its  strength  ; 
rushed  impetuously  over  half  the  globe  ;  and  burst  at 
last  in  helplessness  upon  a  bed  of  sand  !  Or  does  the 
charm  lie  in  the  yet  fiercer  strife  of  the  tempest  and  the 


UNO  A  V  A.  343 

hurricane,  when  the  elements,  let  loose,  sweep  round 
the  shrinking  world  in  fury ; — or,  in  the  ever-changing 
aspect  of  thy  countenance,  now  bright  and  fair,  now  ruf 
fled  with  the  rising  breeze,  or  darkened  by  the  thunder 
cloud  that  bodes  the  coming  storm  ? 

Ah,  yes !  methinks,  not  one,  but  all  of  these  com 
bined  do  constitute  the  charm  which  draws  mankind  to 
thee,  bright  ocean,  and  fills  his  soul  with  sympathy  and 
love.  For  in  the  changeful  aspects  of  thy  visage  there 
are  talismans  which  touch  the  varied  chords  that  vibrate 
in  the  hearts  of  men.  Perchance  in  the  bold  whistle  of 
thy  winds,  and  the  mad  rolling  of  thy  waves,  an  emblem 
of  freedom  is  recognized  by  crushed  and  chafing  spirits 
longing  to  be  free.  They  cannot  wall  thee  round. 
They  cannot  map  thee  into  acres  and  hedge  thee  in, 
and  leave  us  nought  but  narrow  roads  between.  No 
ploughshare  cleaves  thee  save  the  passing  keel  ;  no 
prince  or  monarch  owns  thy  haughty  waves.  In  thy 
hidden  caverns  are  treasures  surpassing  those  of  earth ; 
and  those  who  dwell  on  thee  in  ships  behold  the  wonders 
of  the  mighty  deep.  We  bow  in  adoration  to  thy  great 
Creator ;  and  we  bow  to  thee  in  love,  and  reverence,  and 
sympathy, — 0  sea  ! 

Edith  sat  on  the  sea-shore.  The  glassy  waves  were 
no  longer  encumbered  with  ice,  but  shone  like  burnished 
gold  in  the  light  of  the  summer  sun.  Here  and  there, 
however,  a  large  iceberg  floated  on  the  deep, — a  souvenir 
of  winter  past, — a  guarantee  of  winter  yet  to  come.  At 
the  base  of  these  blue  islands  the  sea,  calm  though  it 
was,  broke  in  a  continual  roar  of  surf,  and  round  their 
pinnacles  the  circling  sea-birds  sailed.  The  yellow  sands 
on  which  the  child  sat,  the  green  willows  that  fringed  the 
background  of  brown  rocks,  and  the  warm  sun,  con- 


041  UNGAVA. 

trasted  powerfully  with  the  vestiges  of  winter  on  the  sea, 
while  a  bright  parhelia  in  the  sky  enriched  and  strength 
ened  these  characteristics  of  an  arctic  summer. 

There  was  busy  life  and  commotion  in  the  Esquimaux 
camp,  from  which  Edith  had  retired  to  some  distance  to 
indulge  in  solitude  the  sad  reveries  of  home,  which 
weighed  more  heavily  on  her  mind  as  the  time  flew  by 
and  the  hope  of  speedy  delivery  began  to  fade. 

"  Oh  !  my  own  dear  mother ! "  sighed  the  child  aloud, 
while  a  tear  trickled  down  each  cheek,  "  shall  I  never 
see  you  more  ?  My  heart  is  heavy  with  wishing,  always 
wishing.  But  no  one  comes.  I  never  see  a  boat  or  a 
ship  on  that  wide,  wide  sea.  Oh !  when,  when  will  it 
come  ! " 

She  paused,  and,  as  she  had  often  done  before,  laid 
her  face  on  her  hands  and  wept.  But  Edith  soon  re 
covered.  These  bursts  of  grief  never  lasted  long,  for 
the  child  was  strong  in  hope.  She  never  doubted  that 
deliverance  would  come  at  last ;  and  she  never  failed  to 
supplicate  at  the  throne  of  mercy,  to  which  her  mother 
had  early  taught  her  to  fly  in  every  time  of  trouble  and 
distress. 

Soon  her  attention  was  attracted  from  the  sea,  over 
whose  wide  expanse  she  had  been  gazing  wistfully,  by 
the  loud  voices  of  the  Esquimaux,  as  a  number  of  them 
prepared  to  embark  in  their  kayaks.  Several  small 
whales  had  been  descried,  and  the  natives,  ever  on  the 
alert,  were  about  to  attack  them.  Presently  Edith  ob 
served  Peetoot  running  along  the  beach  towards  her 
with  a  seal-spear  or  harpoon  in  his  hand.  This  youth 
was  a  remarkably  intelligent  fellow,  and  had  picked  up  a 
few  words  and  sentences  of  English,  of  which  he  made 
the  most. 


UNGAVA.  345 

"  Eeduck  !  Eeduck  !  "  he  cried,  pointing  to  one  of  the 
oomiaks  which  the  women  were  launching,  "you  go, — kill 
whale, — funny,  yes,  Eeduck." 

"  I  don't  think  it  will  be  very  funny,"  said  Edith,  laugh 
ing  ;  "  but  I'll  go  to  please  you,  Peetoot." 

"  Goot,  Eeduck,  you  is  goot,"  shouted  the  boy,  while 
he  flourished  his  harpoon,  and,  seizing  his  companion  by 
the  hand,  dragged  her  in  the  direction  of  the  kayaks. 

In  a  few  minutes  Edith  was  ensconced  in  the  centre  of 
the  oomiak  amid  a  pack  of  noisy  Esquimaux  women, 
whose  tongues  were  loosed  and  spirits  raised  by  the  hope 
of  a  successful  hunt.  They  went  merely  for  the  purpose 
of  witnessing  the  sport  which  was  to  be  prosecuted  by 
twelve  or  thirteen  men,  each  in  his  arrow-like  kayak. 
The  women  sat  round  their  clumsy  boat  with  their  faces 
to  the  bow,  each  wielding  a  short  broad  paddle,  with 
which  they  propelled  their  craft  at  good  speed  over  the 
glassy  wave  ;  but  a  few  alternate  dips  of  the  long  double- 
bladed  paddles  of  the  kayaks  quickly  sent  the  men  far 
ahead  of  them.  In  the  stern  of  the  oomiak  sat  an  old 
grayheaded  man,  who  filled  the  office  of  steersman  ;  a 
duty  which  usually  devolves  upon  old  men  after  they  be 
come  unfit  to  manage  the  kayak.  Indeed,  it  requires 
much  vigor  as  well  as  practice  to  paddle  the  kayak,  for  it 
is  so  easily  upset  that  a  man  could  not  sit  in  it  for  a  min 
ute  without  the  long  paddle,  in  the  clever  use  of  which 
lies  the  security  of  the  Esquimaux. 

When  the  flotilla  had  paddled  out  a  short  distance  a 
whale  rose,  and  lay  as  if  basking  on  the  surface  of  the 
water.  Instantly  the  men  in  the  kayaks  shot  towards  it, 
while  the  oomiak  followed  as  fast  as  possible.  On  draw 
ing  near,  the  first  Esquimaux  prepared  his  harpoon.  To 
the  barb  of  this  weapon  a  stout  line,  from  eight  to  twelve 


346  UNGAVA. 

fathoms  long,  was  attached,  having  a  dan,  or  float,  made 
of  a  seal-skin  at  the  other  end  of  it.  The  dan  was  large 
enough  to  hold  fifteen  gallons  or  more. 

Having  paddled  close  to  the  whale,  the  Esquimaux 
fixed  the  harpoon  deep  in  its  side,  and  threw  the  dan 
overboard.  The  whale  dived  in  an  agony,  carrying  the 
dan  down  along  with  it,  and  the  Esquimaux,  picking  up 
the  liberated  handle  of  the  harpoon  as  he  passed,  pad 
dled  in  the  direction  he  supposed  the  whale  must  have 
taken.  In  a  short  time  the  dan  reappeared  at  no  great 
distance.  The  kayaks,  as  if  shot  from  a  bow,  darted 
towards  the  spot,  and,  before  the  huge  fish  could  dive  a 
second  time,  it  received  two  more  harpoons  and  several 
deep  stabs  from  the  lances  of  the  Esquimaux.  Again  it 
dived,  carrying  two  additional  dans  down  with  it.  But 
the  dragging  tendency  of  these  three  large  floats,  com 
bined  with  the  deep  wounds  it  had  received,  brought  the 
fish  sooner  than  before  to  the  surface,  where  it  was  in 
stantly  met  and  assailed  by  its  relentless  pursuers,  who, 
in  the  course  of  little  more  than  an  hour,  killed  it,  and 
dragged  it  in  triumph  to  the  shore. 

The  natives  were  still  occupied  in  towing  the  captured 
fish,  when  one  of  the  men  uttered  a  wild  shout,  and 
pointed  eagerly  out  to  sea.  At  first  Edith  imagined  that 
they  must  have  seen  another  whale  in  the  distance,  but 
this  opinion  was  quickly  altered  when  she  observed  the 
eager  haste  with  which  they  paddled  towards  the  land, 
and  the  looks  of  surprise  with  which,  ever  and  anon,  they 
regarded  the  object  on  the  horizon.  This  object  seemed 
a  mere  speck  to  Edith's  unaccustomed  eyes,  but  as  she 
gazed  long  and  earnestly  at  it,  a  thought  flashed  across 
her  mind  ; — she  sprang  up  ;  her  sparkling  eyes  seemed  as 
though  they  would  burst  from  their  sockets  in  her  eager 


UNGAVA.  347 

desire  to  make  out  this  object  of  so  great  interest.  At 
this  moment  the  oomiak  touched  the  land.  With  a 
bound  like  a  gazelle,  Edith  sprang  on  shore  and  ran 
panting  with  excitement  to  the  top  of  a  rocky  eminence. 
Here  she  again  directed  her  earnest  gaze  out  to  sea, 
while  her  color  went  and  came  as  she  pressed  her  hands 
upon  her  chest  in  an  agony  of  hope.  Slowly,  but  surely, 
the  speck  came  on ;  the  wind  shifted  a  point,  which 
caused  a  gleam  of  sunlight  to  fall  upon  a  sail.  It  was  a 
boat !  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  it, — and  making  directly 
for  the  island !  Unable  to  contain  herself,  Edith,  utter 
ing  a  piercing  cry,  sank  upon  the  ground,  and  burst  into 
a  passionate  flood  of  tears.  It  was  the  irresistible  im 
pulse  of  hope,  long  deferred,  at  length  realized  ;  for  the 
child  did  not  entertain  a  doubt  that  this  was  at  length  the 
answer  to  her  prayers. 

Meanwhile  the  Esquimaux  ran  about  in  a  state  of  ex 
traordinary  excitement.  These  people  had  very  proba 
bly  heard  of  the  ships  which  once  a  year  pass  through 
Hudson's  Straits  on  their  way  to  the  depots  on  the  shores 
of  Hudson's  Bay,  but  they  had  never  met  with  them,  or 
seen  a  kublunat  (white  face)  before  that  great  day  in 
their  annals  of  discovery  when  they  found  little  Edith 
fainting  in  the  snow.  Their  sharp  eyes  had  at  once  de 
tected  that  the  approaching  boat  was  utterly  different 
from  their  own  kayaks  or  oomiaks.  And  truly  it  was ; 
for  as  she  drew  near  with  her  white  sails  bending  before 
the  evening  breeze  that  had  recently  sprung  up,  and  the 
Union-Jack  flying  from  her  peak,  and  the  foam  curling 
before  her  sharp  prow, — she  seemed  a  very  model  of 
grace  and  symmetry. 

There  were  only  three  figures  in  the  boat,  one  of  whom, 
by  the  violent  gesticulations  that  he  made  as  they  ap- 


348  UNGAVA. 

preached,  bespoke  himself  an  Esquimaux  ;  the  other  two 
stood  erect  and  motionless,  the  one  by  the  tiller,  the  other 
by  the  sheet. 

"  Let  go,"  said  a  deep  soft  voice,  when  the  boat  was 
within  a  stone's-cast  of  the  shore. 

The  sheet  flapped  in  the  wind  as  the  peak  fell,  and  in 
another  instant  the  keel  grated  on  the  sand. 

For  one  moment  a  feeling  of  intense  disappointment 
filled  Edith's  heart,  as  she  sought  in  vain  for  the  face  of 
her  father  or  Frank  ;  then,  with  a  cry  of  joy,  she  sprang 
forward  and  flung  herself  into  the  arms  of  her  old  enemy, 
Gaspard ! 

"  Thank  God,"  said  Dick  Prince,  with  a  tremulous 
voice,  as  he  leaped  lightly  from  the  boat  and  clasped  the 
child  in  his  arms  ;  "  thank  God  we  have  found  you,  Miss 
Edith.  This  will  put  new  life  into  your  poor  mother's 
heart." 

'•  Oh  !  how  is  she  ?  Why  did  she  not  come  with  you  ?" 
sobbed  Edith,  while  Dick  Prince,  seating  himself  on  a 
rock,  drew  her  on  his  knee  and  stroked  her  fair  head,  as 
she  wept  upon  his  shoulder. 

Meanwhile  Annatock  was  being  nearly  devoured  by 
his  wife  and  child  and  countrymen,  as  they  crowded 
round  him  to  obtain  information,  and  to  heap  upon  him 
congratulations  :  and  Gaspard,  in  order  to  restrain,  and 
at  the  same  time  relieve  his  feelings,  essayed  to  drag  the 
boat  out  of  the  water ;  in  which  attempt,  giant  though  he 
was,  being  single-handed,  he  utterly  failed. 

After  the  first  eager  questions  were  answered  on  both 
sides,  the  natives  were  informed  by  their  comrade  of  the 
nature  and  objects  of  the  establishment  at  Ungava,  and 
they  exhibited  the  most  extravagant  signs  of  joy  on  hear 
ing  the  news.  When  their  excitement  was  calmed  down 


UNGAVA.  349 

a  little,  they  conducted  the  party  to  their  principal  tent, 
and  set  before  them  the  choicest  viands  they  possessed, 
talking  vehemently  all  the  while,  and  indulging  in  a  few 
antics  occasionally,  expressive  of  uncontrollable  delight. 

"  Ye  see,  Miss  Edith,"  began  Prince,  when  he  and 
Gaspard  were  seated  before  a  round  of  walrus  beef,  "  the 
way  we  came  to  know  your  whereabouts  was  this : — Gas 
pard  and  me  was  sent  down  to  the  coast  to  hunt  seals, 
for  we  were  getting  short  o'  blubber,  and  "did  not  like  to 
be  obleeged  to  give  deers-meat  to  the  dogs.  Your  father 
gave  us  the  boat,  '  for,'  says  he,  '  Prince,  it'll  take  ye 
down  faster  than  the  canoe  with  this  wind  ;  and  if  ye  see 
any  o'  the  natives,  be  sure  ye  don't  forget  to  ask  about 
her.  Prince.'  Ye  see,  Miss  Edith,  ever  since  ye  was  lost, 
we  never  liked  to  mention  your  name,  although  we  often 
spoke  of  you,  for  we  felt  that  we  might  be  speakin'  o'  the 
dead.  Hovvs'ever,  away  we  went  for  the  shores  o'  the 
bay,  and  coasted  along  to  the  westward  a  bit.  Then  we 
landed  at  a  place  where  there  was  a  good  lot  o'  field-ice 
floatin,'  with  seals  lyin'  on  it,  and  we  began  to  catch 
them.  One  day,  when  we  was  goin'  down  to  the  ice  as 
usual,  we  saw  a  black  object  sittin'  on  a  floe  that  had 
drifted  in  the  night  before  with  a  stiff  breeze. 

"  '  That's  a  queer  lookin'  seal,'  says  Gaspard. 

" '  So  'tis,'  said  I.  '  If  there  was  ever  black  bears  up 
hereabouts,  I  would  say  it  was  one  o'  them.' 

" '  Put  a  ball  in  yer  gun,'  says  Gaspard ;  for,  ye  see, 
as  we  had  been  blazin'  at  small  birds  the  day  before, 
there  was  nothing  but  shot  in  it.  So  I  put  in  a  ball,  and 
took  aim  at  the  beast,  intendin'  to  give  it  a  long  shot. 
But  I  was  marcifully  prevented  from  firm'.  Jist  as  I 
squinted  along  the  barrel,  the  beast  rose  straight  up,  and 
held  up  both  its  fore  paws.  '  Stop  ! '  roars  Gaspard,  in 


350  UNGAVA. 

an  awful  fright ;  and  sure  enough,  I  lowered  my  gun,  and 
the  beast  hailed  us  in  the  voice  of  a  man,  and  began  to 
walk  to  the  shore.  He  seemed  quite  worn  out  when  he 
landed,  and  I  could  understand  enough  o'  his  jargon  to 
make  out  that  he  had  been  blown  out  to  sea  on  the  floe, 
and  that  his  name  was  Annatock. 

"  While  we  were  talkin'  to  the  Esquimaux,  Gaspard 
cries  out,  '  I  say,  Prince,  look  here.  There's  a  sort  o' 
medal  on  this  chap's  neck  with  somethin'  written  on  it. 
You're  a  larned  fellow,  Prince,  see  if  ye  can  make  it  out.' 
So  I  looked  at  it,  and  rubbed  my  eyes  once  or  twice,  I 
can  tell  you,  for  sure  enough,  there  was  EDITH  as  plain 
as  the  nose  on  my  face." 

"  Oh  ! "  exclaimed  Edith,  smiling  through  her  tears, 
"  that  was  the  medal  I  hung  round  his  neck  long,  long 
ago.  I  hoped  that  it  might  be  seen  some  day  by  people 
who  knew  me." 

"  I  thought  so,  Miss,"  returned  Prince,  "  I  thought  as 
much,  for  I  knew  that  the  Esquimaux  could  never  have 
invented  and  writ  that  out  of  his  own  head,  ye  see.  But 
Gaspard  and  me  had  most  awful  trouble  to  get  him 
to  explain  how  he  came  by  it,  and  where  he  came  from. 
Hows'ever,  we  made  out  at  last  that  he  came  from  an 
island  in  this  direction,  so  we  just  made  up  our  minds  to 
take  the  boat  and  come  straight  away  for  the  island, 
which  we  did,  takin'  Annatock  to  pilot  us." 

"  Then,  does  my  father  not  know  where  you  are,  or 
anything  about  your  having  heard  of  me  ? "  inquired 
Edith,  in  surprise. 

"  Why,  no,  Miss  Edith,"  replied  Prince.  "  You  see. 
it  would  have  lost  us  two  or  three  days  to  have  gone  back 
to  Fort  Chimo  ;  and,  after  all,  we  thought  it  might  turn 
out  a  false  scent,  and  only  raise  your  poor  mother's  hopes 


UNGAVA.  351 

for  nothin'.  Besides,  \ve  were  sent  away  for  a  week  or 
two,  so  we  knew  they  wouldn't  wonder  at  our  absence  ; 
so  we  thought,  upon  the  whole,  it  would  be  best  to  come 
at  once,  'specially  since  it  was  sich  a  short  distance." 

"  A  short  distance  !  "  repeated  Edith,  starting  up.  "  I 
thought  we  must  be  miles  and  miles,  oh !  ever  so  far 
away  !  Is  the  distance  really  short  ?  " 

"  Ay,  that  it  is,  little  one,"  said  Prince,  patting  the 
child  on  the  head.  "  It  is  not  more  than  three  days' 
rowing  from  this  island,  and  a  stiff  breeze  on  the  quarter 
would  carry  us  there  in  less  than  two." 

"  And  Frank,  where  is  Frank  ?  "  said  Edith,  with  a 
look  of  eager  inquiry. 

"  Ah  !  Miss,"  replied  Prince,  "  he  has  been  away  almost 
as  long  as  yourself.  Soon  after  you  were  lost,  a  packet 
came  from  the  south,  and  he  was  obleeged  to  give  up  the 
sarch  after  you, — though  he  was  loath  to  do  it, — and 
set  out  with  three  o'  the  men  for  Moose.  From  that  day 
to  this  we've  heer'd  nothin'  of  him.  But  the  journey  he 
had  to  make  was  a  long  one, — havin'  to  go  round  all  the 
way  to  York  Fort,  so  we  didn't  expect  to  hear  o'  him 
afore  now.  But  I'll  tell  ye  more  about  all  your  old 
friends  when  we  git  things  ready  for  a  start  to-morrow." 

The  remainder  of  that  day  was  spent  in  making  prep 
aration  for  setting  sail  on  the  following  morning.  The 
first  intimation  of  the  existence  of  the  new  trading  fort 
had  thrown  the  childlike  natives  into  rapturous  delight ; 
but  when  Prince  told  them  he  intended  to  go  off  the  next 
day  with  the  child  who  had  been  as  a  bright  spirit  in 
their  camp  so  long,  they  fell  into  the  depths  of  grief.  In 
deed  there  was  manifested  a  slight  desire  to  offer  forcible 
opposition  to  this  ;  but  when  Edith  told  them,  through 
the  medium  of  Peetoot,  who  acted  as  her  interpreter,  that 


352  UNGAVA. 

the  distance  to  her  father's  fort  was  not  great,  and  that 
she  would  expect  them  to  come  often  there,  and  stay  long, 
they  became  reconciled  to  her  departure  ;  and  when  she 
sought  to  turn  their  minds  (a  work  of  no  great  difficulty 
at  any  time)  away  from  that  subject,  by  describing  to 
them  the  treasures  of  the  trading  store,  they  danced,  and 
laughed,  and  sa^.g,  like  very  children.  Even  Kaga's 
baby  crowed  with  a  racy  richness  of  feeling,  and  smiled 
with  an  oily  brilliancy  of  expression,  compared  to  which 
all  its  former  exhibitions  were  mere  child's  play. 

But  when  the  hour  of  departure  really  came,  and 
Edith  bade  farewell  to  her  kind  friends,  whose  rude  but 
warm  hospitality  she  had  enjoyed  so  long,  they  were 
again  plunged  into  the  deepest  distress ;  and  when  the 
little  boat  finally  put  to  sea,  there  was  not  a  tearless  eye 
among  the  tribe,  while  Edith  was  swiftly  borne  from  their 
island  shore  before  a  strong  and  favoring  breeze. 


UNGAVA.  353 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


THE  CLOUDS  ARE  BROKEN,  THE  SUN  BURSTS  THROUGH,  AND 
ONCE  MOKE  IRRADIATES  FORT  CHIMO—  HOPES  AND  FEARS  FOR 
MAXIMUS. 


IE  wings  of  time  moved  slowly  and  heavily  along 
at  Fort  Chimo.  Hope  long  deferred,  expectation 
frequently  reviving  and  as  often  disappointed,  crushed 
the  spirits  of  the  little  party.  The  song,  and  jest,  and 
laugh,  seldom  sounded  from  the  houses  of  the  men,  who 
went  through  their  daily  avocations  almost  in  silence. 
Not  only  had  the  loss  of  Edith,  —  the  bright  spirit  of  the 
place,  the  tender  rosebud  in  that  savage  wilderness,  — 
cast  an  overwhelming  gloom  upon  the  fort,  but  the 
failure  of  the  trade,  to  a  great  extent,  had  added  to  the 
general  depression  ;  and  now,  fresh  anxiety  was  begin 
ning  to  be  felt  at  the  non-appearance  of  Frank  Morton. 

"Jessie,"  said  Stanley  one  day,  as  he  rose  from  the 
desk  at  which  he  had  been  writing,  and  put  on  his  cap 
with  the  intention  of  taking  a  stroll  along  the  beach, 
"  will  you  come  with  me  to-day  ?  I  know  not  how  it 
is,  but  every  time  I  go  out  now,  I  expect  to  hear  the 
ship's  gun  as  it  comes  through  the  narrows." 

Mrs.  Stanley  rose,  and  throwing  on  a  shawl  and  hood, 
accompanied  her  husband  in  silence. 

"  Perhaps,"  she  said,  at  length,  "  you  expect  to  hear 
the  guns  because  the  vessel  ought  to  be  here  by  this 
time." 

23 


354  UNGAVA. 

As  she  spoke,  La  Roche  came  up  and  touched  his  cap. 
"  Please,  madarne,  vat  you  vill  have  pour  dinner  ?  " 

"  Whatever  you  please,  La  Roche.  Repeat  yester 
day's,"  answered  Mrs.  Stanley,  with  the  air  of  one  who 
did  not  wish  to  be  troubled  further  on  the  subject.  But 
La  Roche  was  not  to  be  so  easily  put  down. 

"  Ah !  madame,  pardonnez  moi.  Dat  is  impossible. 
Ve  have  fresh  fish  yesterday,  dere  be  no  fresh  fish  to-day. 
More  de  pity.  C'est  damage — dat  Gaspard  him  gone 
away —  " 

La  Roche  was  interrupted  by  a  sudden  exclamation 
from  his  master,  who  pointed,  while  he  gazed  earnestly, 
towards  the  narrows  of  the  river.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
scene  of  last  year  were  repeated  in  a  vision.  Against 
the  dark  rock  appeared  the  white  triangular  sail  of  a 
vessel.  Slowly,  like  a  phantom,  it  came  into  view,  for 
the  wind  was  very  light,  while  the  three  spectators  on  the 
beach  gazed  with  beating  hearts,  scarcely  daring  to  credit 
their  eyes.  In  a  few  seconds  another  sail  appeared, — a 
schooner  floated  into  view ;  a  white  cloud  burst  from  her 
bows,  and  once  again  the  long  silent  echoes  of  Ungava 
were  awakened  by  the  roaring  of  artillery.  The  men 
of  the  fort  left  their  several  employments  and  rushed  to 
the  beach  to  welcome  the  vessel  with  a  cheer ;  but, 
although  it  was  heartfelt  and  vigorous,  it  was  neither  so 
prolonged  nor  so  enthusiastic  as  it  was  on  the  first  occa 
sion  of  the  ship's  arrival. 

As  the  vessel  dropped  anchor  opposite  the  fort,  Frank 
Morton  leaped  on  her  bow,  and,  along  with  the  crew,  re 
turned  the  cheer  with  a  degree  of  energy  that  awakened 
memories  of  other  days. 

"  There's  Frank  !  "  cried  Stanley,  turning  on  his  wife 
a  glance  of  joy.  "  Bless  the  boy  !  It  warms  iny  heart 


UNGAVA.  355 

to    see    him.      lie    must   have    picked  up  some   Indian 
woman  by  the  way.     I  see  the  flutter  of  a  petticoat." 

As  he  spoke,  the  boat  pushed  off  from  the  vessel's  side, 
and  a  few  rapid  strokes  sent  it  bounding  towards  the 
shore. 

'•  Eh !  what's  this  ?  "  exclaimed  Stanley,  as  his  wife 
broke  from  him,  and,  with  a  wild  shriek,  rushed  into  the 
lake. 

The  figure  of  a  child  stood  on  the  boat's  bow,  with  her 
arms  extended  to  the  shore. 

"  Hurrah !  lads,  give  way,"  shouted  Frank's  deep 
voice. 

"  Mother  !  mother  !  "   cried  the  child. 

In  another  moment  Frank  bounded  over  the  boat's 
side  and  placed  Edith  in  her  mother's  arms  ! 

******** 

Reader,  there  are  incidents  in  the  histories  of  men 
which  cannot  be  minutely  described  without  being  marred. 
Such  an  one  was  the  meeting  between  the  father  and 
mother  and  their  long  lost  child.  We  refrain  from  at 
tempting  to  draw  aside  the  curtain  farther  than  to  say, 
that  the  joy  and  gratitude  in  more  than  one  heart  at 
Ungava  found  vent  that  night  in  thanksgiving  to  Him 
who  can  bring  light  out  of  darkness,  and  turn  sorrow 
into  joy. 

The  greater  part  of  the  day  was  spent  at  the  fort  in 
that  feverish  excitement  which  cannot  calm  down  to 
steady  conversation,  but  vents  itself  in  eager  rambling 
questions  and  abrupt  replies.  Meanwhile,  the  necessity 
of  discharging  the  cargo  of  the  vessel,  and  preparing 
the  furs  for  shipment,  served  to  distract  the  attention  and 
occupy  the  hands  of  the  whole  party. 

As  evening  advanced,   La   Roche,  true  to  his  duty, 


356  UNGAVA. 

placed  supper  on  the  table ;  and  Stanley  and  his  wife, 
along  with  Edith  and  Frank,  while  they  partook  of  the 
meal,  continued  their  inquiries. 

"  Whereabouts  was  it,  Frank,  that  you  fell  in  with  the 
boat  ?  "  said  Stanley. 

"  Not  more  than  five  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  at  about  six  this  morning.  We  observed  the  boat 
beset  by  a  pretty  solid  pack  of  ice,  and  you  may  be  sure 
we  were  not  a  little  surprised  when  we  saw  the  Union- 
Jack  run  up  to  her  peak ;  so  I  ordered  our  boat  to  be 
lowered,  intending  to  go'to  her  assistance.  While  the 
men  were  doing  this,  I  examined  her  with  the  glass  and 
then  it  was  that  I  found,  to  my  amazement  and  inex 
pressible  joy,  that  the  boat  contained  Prince,  Gaspard, 
and  Edith." 

"  Ah !  Frank,"  said  Mrs.  Stanley,  "  was  it  not  a  strange 
providence,  that  you,  who  were  so  sad  at  being  compelled 
to  give  up  the  search,  should  be  the  one  appointed  to 
find  our  beloved  child,  and  bring  her  back  to  us  ?  " 

"  Nay,"  replied  Frank,  "  it  was  not  I  who  found  her  ; 
let  me  not  rob  Dick  Prince  and  Gaspard  of  the  honor 
and  gratitude  which  they  have  nobly  won." 

"  And  what  do  you  think  of  the  non-arrival  of  Maxi- 
mus  ?  "  said  Stanley,  whose  feelings  were  still  too  much 
perturbed  to  allow  him  to  dwell  for  more  than  a  few 
minutes  at  a  time  on  any  subject.  Frank  shook  his 
head. 

"  I  know  not  what  to  think,"  said  he.  "  As  I  have 
told  you  already,  we  left  him  at  Moose  Fort  with  his  re 
covered  bride,  and  we  got  the  missionary  to  marry  them 
there  in  due  form.  Next  day  they  started  in  a  small 
canoe  on  their  return  voyage  to  Ungava,  and  the  day  fol 
lowing  I  left  for  Lake  Superior.  1  fully  expected  to  find 
them  here  on  my  return." 


UNGAVA.  357 

Stanley  looked  grave.  "  I  fear  much,"  said  he,  "  that 
some  mischance  has  befallen  the  good-hearted  Esqui 
maux.  He  was  well  armed,  you  say,  and  amply  supplied 
with  provisions?" 

"  Ay,  most  certainly.  He  took  two  guns  with  him, 
saying  that  his  wife  was  as  good  a  shot  as  himself." 

"  The  men  wish  to  know  where  the  heavy  goods  are  to 
be  put,"  said  Massan,  as  he  opened  the  door,  and  stood, 
cap  in  hand,  awaiting  orders. 

Stanley  rose  to  leave  the  room. 

"  I'll  be  with  you  in  a  minute,  Massan.  Then,  Frank, 
we'll  expect  an  account  of  your  journey  to-night.  Eda 
is  very  anxious  that  we  should  be  told  all  about  your 
wonderful  adventures  in  the  mountains.  Meanwhile  I 
shall  be  off  to  look  after  the  men." 

When  the  sun  had  set  that  night,  and  the  song  of  the 
sailors  had  ceased,  and  most  of  the  wearied  inhabitants 
of  Fort  Chimo  were  enjoying  a  fragrant  pipe  after  the 
labors  of  the  day,  Frank  and  Stanley  seated  themselves, 
one  on  either  side  of  the  fireplace,  with  Mrs.  Stanley 
and  PMith  in  front  of  the  hearth  between  them.  An  extra 
pine-knot  was  thrown  on  the  fire,  which,  in  a  few  minutes, 
rendered  the  candle  on  the  table  unnecessary.  Stanley 
lit  his  pipe,  and  after  drawing  one  or  two  whiffs  to  make 
sure  that  it  would  keep  alight,  said, — 

"  Now  Frank,  my  boy,  we're  ready  for  you ;  fire 
away." 

Frank  fired  away,  literally,  for  he  applied  a  piece  of 
glowing  charcoal  to  his  pipe,  and  fired  off  half  a  dozen 
rapid  puffs  in  reply,  as  it  were,  to  his  friend  opposite. 
Then  he  began  : — 


358  UNGAVA. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

ROUGH  AND  TUMBLE—  A  POLAR  BEAR  MADE  USEFUL—  FISHING, 
AND  FLOUNDERING.  AND  NARROW  ESCAPES—  AN  UNEXPECTED 
DISCOVERY,  PRODUCTIVE  OF  MINGLED  PERPLEXITY  AND  JOY. 


remember,  I  daresay,  that  the  day  on  which  I 
left  Ungava,  last  spring,  was  an  unusually  fine  one  ; 
—  just  such  a  day,  Eda,  as  those  on  which  you  and  I  and 
Chimo  were  wont  to  clamber  up  the  berry  glen.  But 
the  clambering  that  we  went  through  there  was  nothing 
to  the  work  we  went  through  on  our  third  day  from  the 
fort.  Maximus  and  Oolibuck  were  first  rate  climbers 
and  we  would  have  got  over  the  ground  much  faster  than 
we  did,  but  for  the  dogs,  which  could  not  travel  easily 
over  the  rough  ground  with  their  loaded  sled.  Chimo, 
indeed,  hauled  like  a  hero  ;  and  if  the  other  dogs  had 
been  equal  to  him  \ve  would  have  been  here  before 
to-day.  Well,  as  I  said,  our  third  day  was  one  of  con 
siderable  toil.  Leaving  the  river  we  struck  into  the 
mountains  ;  but,  after  nearly  breaking  our  sled  to  pieces, 
and  endangering  our  necks  more  than  once,  we  found  it 
necessary  to  return  to  the  river  and  follow  its  windings 
into  the  interior. 

"After  many  days  of  as  rough  travelling  as  I  ever 
experienced,  we  came,  to  the  lake  district  on  the  height 
of  land,  and  travelled  for  some  time  more  rapidly,  and 
with  much  greater  ease.  There  were  plenty  of  ptarmi 
gan  here,  so  that  we  saved  our  provisions,  —  a  matter  of 
importance,  as  you  know,  in  a  country  where  we  might 


UNGAVA.  359 

have  found  nothing  fit  for  food.  One  evening,  towards 
sunset,  as  we  were  crossing  a  large  lake,  it  came  on  to 
snow  heavily,  and  ere  long  we  could  not  see  the  land. 

"'What  shall  we  do,  Maximus? '  said  I ;  '  it  seems 
to  me  that  if  we  go  on  we  may  wander  out  of  our  course 
and  lose  much  time  ere  we  find  it  again.  Shall  we  turn 
back  ? ' 

"  '  Better  go  on,'  replied  Maximus. 

"  Oolibuck  seemed  to  be  of  the  same  opinion,  so  I 
gave  my  whip  a  flourish  to  urge  on  the  dogs,  which  were 
beginning  to  flag,  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  drawing  the 
sled  through  the  deepening  snow.  But  the  two  rear 
dogs  could  hardly  be  prevailed  on  to  move.  Even  Chimo 
was  knocked  up.  In  this  dilemma  Maximus  came  to 
my  aid.  He  hung  one  of  the  ptarmigan  at  his  belt,  and 
letting  the  dogs  smell  it  walked  on  before.  The  hungry 
animals  brightened  up  instantly,  and  went  forward  for  a 
considerable  distance  with  alacrity. 

"  But  after  trudging  on  for  two  or  three  miles,  the 
snow  fell  so  thickly  that  we  thought  proper  to  call  a  halt 
and  hold  another  council  of  war. 

" '  Now,'  said  I,  '  it  is  my  opinion  that  we  should 
encamp  on  the  ice  ;  there  is  no  use  in  wearying  the 
dogs,  and  ourselves  in  uncertainty  ;  what  think  you, 
lads  ? ' 

" '  Me   tink   so,  too,'  said  Oolibuck. 

u  Maximus  nodded  his  head  by  way  of  assent,  so  we 
immediately  set  to  work  to  make  our  encampment.  You 
recollect  the  hut  we  built  on  the  lake  when  I  was  so 
badly  hurt,  and  when  you  were  lost,  Eda  ?  Well,  we 
made  a  snow  house  just  like  that  one  ;  and  as  we  worked 
very  hard,  we  had  it  up  and  were  all  §nug  under  its 
shelter  in  little  more  than  two  hours.  Meanwhile,  the 


360  UNGAVA. 

dogs  were  fed  ;  and  a  small  piece  jf  wood,  that  we  for 
tunately  brought  with  us  on  the  sled,  was  cut  up,  and  a 
fire  kindled.  But  this  only  served  long  enough  to  boil 
the  kettle,  and  then  it  went  out,  leaving  us  to  eat  our 
supper  in  the  dark,  for  by  this  time  the  sun  had  set. 
However,  we  did  not  mind  that  much ;  and  when  we 
had  finished,  and  were  stretched  out  side  by  side  on  the 
snow,  smoking  our  pipe?,  while  the  dogs  lay  at  our  feet 
and  kept  us  warm,  I  thought  that  a  palace  could  not 
have  been  more  comfortable  than  our  snow  house. 

"As  we  had  no  wood  wherewith  to  make  another  fire, 
and  so  could  not  procure  water  except  by  the  tedious 
process  of  digging  through  the  ice,  I  resolved  to  try  an 
experiment  which  I  had  once  heard  had  been  attempted 
with  success.  This  was,  to  fill  a  bottle  with  snow  and 
take  it  to  bed  with  me.  During  the  night  the  heat  of  my 
body  melted  the  snow,  and  in  the  morning  we  had  suf 
ficient  water  to  give  us  each  a  draught  at  breakfast. 

"  When  morning  came  we  found  that  it  was  blowing 
and  drifting  so  hard  that  we  could  not  venture  to  move  ; 
so  we  made  up  our  minds  to  remain  where  we  were  until 
the  weather  should  moderate. 

" '  Maximus,'  said  I  after  our  breakfast  of  cold  boiled 
ptarmigan  was  over,  '  set  to  work  outside  and  dig  a 
hole  through  the  ice.  I  have  no  doubt  we  shall  find 
fish  in  this  lake.  If  we  do,  they  will  form  an  ex 
cellent  addition  to  our  fare.  I  will  prepare  the  lines 
and  hooks.' 

"  Maximus,  whose  huge  body  was  stretched  out  at  full 
length,  while  he  enjoyed  his  pipe,  rose  to  obey  ;  but  as 
he  was  about  to  leave  the  hut  Oolibuck  said  a  few  words 
to  him.  * 

" '  Please,  sir,'  said  Oolibuck,  with  his  usual  oily  smile, 


UNGAVA.  361 

'  my  countrymen  fish  in  igloe  when  blow  hard.  Pr'aps 
ve  make  hole  here,  if  you  like.' 

"  '  Very  good,'  said  I ;  '  make  the  hole  where  you 
please,  and  look  sharp  about  it,  else  I  shall  have  ray  lines 
prepared  before  you  reach  the  water.' 

"  The  two  Esquimaux  immediately  set  to  work,  and  in 
less  than  an  hour  a  hole  about  six  feet  deep  was  yawn 
ing  in  the  middle  of  our  floor.  Through  this  we  set 
two  lines,  and  our  usual  luck  attended  us  immediately. 
We  caught  five  or  six  excellent  white-fish,  and  one  or 

O  ' 

two  trout,  in  the  first  half  hour,  so  that  we  were  enabled 
to  give  the  dogs  a  capital  feed.  Moreover,  we  froze  as 
many  as  we  could  carry  along  with  us  for  future  use  ; 
but  we  had  not  the  satisfaction  of  having  a  good  dinner 
of  them  that  day,  as  we  had  no  wood  wherewith  to  make 
fire.  You  would  have  been  greatly  amused  had  you 
peeped  in  at  the  ice-window  of  our  igloe  that  day,  as 
we  sat  round  the  hole  in  the  floor  with  eager,  excited 
looks.  I  confess,  however,  that  I  left  the  work  prin 
cipally  to  the  two  men,  who  seemed  to  relish  it  amaz 
ingly.  Maximus  was  earnest  and  energetic,  as  he  always 
i-j, ;  but  the  expression  of  Oolibuck's  face  underwent  the 
most  extraordinary  transformations.  Now  beaming  with 
intense  hope,  as  he  felt,  or  thought  he  felt,  a  tug.  Anon, 
blazing  with  excitement,  while  his  body  jerked  as  if  a 
galvanic  tdiock  had  assailed  it,  under  the  influence  of  a 
decided  pull.  Then  his  visage  was  elongated  as  the  fish 
escaped,  and  was  again  convulsed  by  another  pull,  or 
shone  in  triumph  as  he  hauled  the  wriggling  captive  into 
the  light  of  day. 

"  Towards  evening  the  wind  fell,  and  we  resumed  our 
journey.  We  were  not  again  interrupted  by  weather  for 
more  than  a  week  after  this,  but  were  much  perplexed 


362  UNGAVA. 

by  the  chains  of  small  lakes  into  which  we  came.  At 
last  we  readied  Clear-water  Lake,  and  had  a  long  con 
sultation  as  to  the  best  course  to  pursue,  because  it  was 
now  a  question  whether  we  should  follow  the  chain  of 
lakes  by  which  we  came  up  to  Ungava  in  our  canoes,  or 
make  a  straight  cut  for  the  coast,  and  take  our  chance  of 
finding  it.  While  we  were  yet  uncertain  what  to  do,  our 
course  was  decided  by  a  polar  bear  !  " 

"  A  polar  bear  ?  "  cried  Edith,  in  surprise. 

"  Ay  ;  a  polar  bear  and  her  cub  settled  the  question 
for  us  as  you  shall  hear  presently,"  replied  Frank  ;  "  but 
first  hand  me  papa's  tobacco-pouch,  please,  as  my  pipe  is 
exhausted." 

"  There,  now,"  continued  Frank,  relighting  his  pipe, 
and  throwing  a  fresh  log  on  the  fire,  "  that's  comfortable. 
Well,  as  I  said,  we  were  somewhat  perplexed  as  to  what 
we  should  do,  when,  in  wandering  about  the  lake  endeav 
oring  to  find  the  outlet,  I  came  upon  the  track  of  a  polar 
bear  ;  and  by  the  side  of  it  were  little  foot-prints,  which 
showed  me  that  it  was  a  she-bear  with  her  cub.  I  ob 
served  that  the  tracks  were  quite  fresh. 

"  '  Now,  then,  Maximus,'  said  I,  pointing  to  the  tracks. 
which  went  to  the  westward,  '  there  is  a  sure  guide  who 
will  conduct  us  by  the  quickest  route  to  the  coast.'  I 
could  tell  this,  Eda,  because  I  knew  that  the  bear  had 
found  food  rather  scarce  in  those  high  regions,  and  would 
descend  Clear-water  River  in  order  to  fish  in  the  open 
water  at  the  falls,  which  are  very  numerous  in  that  river. 
On  reaching  the  coast  it  would  find  plenty  seals  in  the 
sea.  In  the  mean  time  I  had  nothing  to  do  but  follow  its 
track  to  be  conducted  by  the  shortest  route  to  Clear- 
water  River,  the  commencement  of  which  was  difficult 
to  find  owins:  to  the  flatness  of  the  margin  of  the  lake  at 


UNGAVA.  363 

this  end.  Away  we  went  then,  and,  as  I  had  expected, 
were  soon  led  to  the  river,  down  the  banks  of  which  we 
scrambled,  over  rocks  and  crags,  through  bushes  and 
snow,  until  we  came  to  the  coast  at  Richmond  Gulf. 

"  But  it  took  us  many  weeks  to  accomplish  the  jour 
ney  which  I  have  briefly  sketched  thus  far,  and  when 
we  reached  the  coast,  worn  with  hard  travel,  and  our 
clothing  uncomfortably  ragged,  the  spring  was  well  ad 
vanced  ;  rivers  were  breaking  up,  ducks  and  geese  were 
passing  to  the  north,  and  there  were  thousands  of  deer ; 
so  that  we  found  ourselves  suddenly  in  the  midst  of 
abundance.  Just  before  reaching  the  gulf,  I  witnessed 
the  breaking  up  of  a  river;  which  was  one  of  the  grand 
est  sights  I  ever  saw. 

"  The  river  was  not  a  very  large  one.  On  reaching  it  we 
were  much  struck  with  a  curious  barrier  of  ice  that  was 
jammed  across  it.  On  examination,  I  saw  that  the  ice 
had  given  way  some  time  before  we  arrived  there,  and 
an  enormous  cake,  of  many  yards  surface  and  fully  six 
feet  thick,  had,  while  being  hurled  along  by  the  swelling 
water,  caught  upon" the  rugged  rocks  and  been  tilted  upon 
end.  Thus  it  formed  a  temporary  barrier,  against  which 
other  masses  were  forced  until  the  outlet  was  completely 
checked,  and  the  water  began  to  rise  with  great  rapidity. 
As  we  stood  on  the  high  cliff,  looking  clown  on  the  wild 
ravine  in  which  this  was  going  on,  I  heard  a  loud  crack. 
In  another  instant  the  obstructing  barrier  burst  like  a 
thunderclap,  and  the  pent-up  waters  leaped  with  one 
mighty  roar  into  their  accustomed  channel !  The  devas 
tation  created  was  inconceivably  grand.  Rocks  of  many 
tons  weight  were  torn  up,  cast  like  playthings  on  the 
rushing  ice,  and  hurled  on  the  cliffs  below ;  while  trees, 
and  ice,  and  water,  swept  down  the  gorge  in  a  mad  whirl. 


364  UNGAVA. 

that  made  my  brain  reel  as  I  gazed  at  it.  In  an  hour 
the  worst  of  this  awful  scene  was  over,  but  the  unuttera 
ble  desolation  that  was  left  will  remain  for  centuries,  I 
believe,  to  tell  of  the  mighty  rush  that  happened  there. 

"  Our  first  experience  of  Richmond  Gulf  was  not  by 
any  means  pleasant.  When  we  arrived,  it  was  covered 
with  ice ;  but  we  did  not  know  that,  although  it  appeared 
to  be  solid  enough,  it  was  in  reality  little  better  than 
frozen  sludge  or  foam.  Oolibuck  happened  to  be  walking 
first,  with  the  line  of  his  little  sled  over  his  shoulder. 
For  a  short  distance  we  plodded  on,  intending  to  cross 
the  gulf,  but  I  was  suddenly  aroused  from  a  reverie  by  a 
shout  from  Maximus.  Looking  hastily  up,  I  beheld 
nothing  of  Oolibuck  except  his  head  above  the  ice, 
while  Maximus  was  trying  to  pull  him  out  by  hauling  at 
the  tail-line  of  the  sled.  Luckily  Oolibuck  had  kept 
fast  hold  of  the  line  which  was  over  his  shoulder,  and 
after  much  trouble  we  succeeded  in  dragging  him  out  of 
the  water.  A  sharp  frost  happened  to  have  set  in,  and 
before  we  got  back  to  the  shore,  the  poor  fellow's  gar 
ments  were  frozen  so  stiff  that  he  could  not  run. 

" '  This  is  a  bad  job,  Maximus,'  said  I  ;  '  we  must 
carry  him.  Do  you  lift  his  head,  and  I'll  take  the  feet. 

"  '  0  be  queek !  I  is  f'rizzen  up,'  cried  Oolibuck,  cast 
ing  a  rueful  look  through  his  tangled  locks,  which  were  a 
mere  mass  of  icicles! 

"Maximus  gave  a  loud  chuckle,  and  before  I  could 
assist  him,  he  seized  his  comrade  in  his  powerful  arms, 
heaved  him  over  his  shoulder  like  a  sack,  and  ran  to 
wards  the  shore  as  lightly  as  if  his  burden  were  a  child 
instead  of  a  big,  over-fed  Esquimaux ! 

"Arrived  at  the  woods,  we  wrapped  Oolibuck  in  our 
blankets  ;  then  we  kindled  a  fire,  and  in  two  hours  after, 


UNGAVA.  365 

his  clothes  were  dried  and  himself  ready  to  proceed. 
This  might  have  turned  out  a  more  serious  accident, 
however,  and  we  felt  very  thankful  when  we  had  our 
damp  companion  steaming  beside  a  good  fire.  The  les 
son  was  not  thrown  away,  for  we  coasted  round  Rich 
mond  Gulf  instead  of  attempting  to  cross  it. 

"  And  now,"  continued  Frank,  stirring  the  fire  and 
relighting  his  pipe,  which  invariably  went  out  at  the 
interesting  parts  'of  his  narrative,  "  now  I  come  to  that 
part  of  my  story  which  bears  on  the  fate  of  Maximus. 

"  As  I  have  said,  we  had  arrived  at  the  coast,  and  be 
gan  to  look  forward  to  Moose  Fort  as  the  first  resting- 
place  on  our  journey.  By  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
journey  lay  before  us,  Eda ;  for,  according  to  my  calcu 
lation,  I  have  travelled,  since  last  spring,  a  distance  of 
three  thousand  miles  ;  nearly  a  thousand  of  which  have 
been  performed  on  foot,  upwards  of  a  thousand  in  boats 
and  canoes,  and  a  thousand  by  sea ;  and  in  the  whole 
distance  I  did  not  see  a  civilized  spot  of  ground  or  a  sin 
gle  road, — not  so  much  as  a  bridle  path.  As  Bryan's 
favorite  song  has  it — 

'  Over  mountains  and  rivers 
I  was  pelted  to  shivers.' 

But  I'm  happy  to  say  I  have  not,  as  the  same  song  con 
tinues,  '  met  on  this  land  with  a  wathery  grave.'  I  was 
very  near  it  once,  however,  as  you  shall  hear. 

"  Well,  away  we  went  along  the  coast  of  James's  Bay, 
much  relieved  to  think  that  the  mountains  were  now 
past,  and  that  our  road  henceforth,  whatever  else  it  might 
be,  was  level.  One  evening  as  we  were  plodding  wea 
rily  along,  after  a  hard  day's  march  over  soft  snow  alter 
nated  with  sandy  beach — for  the  spring  was  fast  advauc- 


3G6  UNGAVA. 

ing — we  came  suddenly  on  a  camp  of  Indians.  At  first 
I  thought  they  must  be  some  of  the  Moose  Indians,  but 
on  inquiry  I  found  that  they  were  a  party  of  Muskigons, 
who  had  wandered  all  over  East  Maine,  and  seemed  to 
be  of  a  roving,  unsettled  disposition.  However,  we  de 
termined  to  encamp  along  witii  them  for  that  night,  and 
get  all  the  information  we  could  out  of  them  in  regard 
to  their  hunting  grounds. 

"  We  spent  a  great  part  of  the  nighf  in  the  leathern 
wigwam  of  the  principal  chief,  who  was  a  sinister-look 
ing  old  rascal,  though  I  must  say  he  received  us  hospita 
bly  enough,  and  entertained  us  with  a  good  deal  of  small 
talk,  after  time  and  the  pipe  had  worn  away  his  reserve. 
But  I  determined  to  spend  part  of  the  night  in  the  tent 
of  a  solitary  old  woman  who  had  recently  been  at  Moose 
Fort,  and  from  whom  I  hoped  to  hear  some  news  of  our 
friends  there.  You  know  I  have  had  always  a  partiality 
for  miserable  old  wives,  Eda  ;  which  accounts,  perhaps, 
for  my  liking  for  you  !  This  dame  had  been  named  Old 
Moggy  by  the  people  at  Moose  ;  and  she  was  the  most 
shrivelled,  dried  up,  wrinkled  old  body  you  ever  saw. 
She  was  testy,  too  ;  but  this  was  owing  to  the  neglect  she 
experienced  at  the  hands  of  her  tribe.  She  was  good- 
tempered  by  nature,  however  ;  a  fact  which  became  ap 
parent  the  longer  I  conversed  with  her. 

" '  Well,  Old  Moggy,'  said  I,  on  entering  her  tent, 
'  what  cheer,  what  cheer?' 

" '  There's  no  cheer  here,'  she  replied  peevishly,  in  the 
Indian  tongue. 

"  '  Nay,  then,'  said  I,  '  don't  be  angry,  mother  ;  here's 
a  bit  o'  baccy  to  warm  your  old  heart.  But  who  is  this 
you  have  got  beside  you  ? '  I  asked,  on  observing  a  good- 
looking  young  girl,  with  a  melancholy  cast  of  counte- 


UNGAVA.  367 

nance,  seated  in  a  dark  corner  of  the  wigwam,  as  if  she 
sought  concealment.  I  observed  that  she  was  whiter 
than  Indians  usually  are,  and  supposed  at  first  that  she 
was  a  half-breed  girl,  but  a  second  glance  convinced  me 
that  she  had  little  if  any  of  the  Indian  blood  in  her  veins. 

" '  She  is  my  only  friend,'  said  Old  Moggy,  her  dark 
eye  brightening  as  she  glanced  towards  the  girl.  '  She 
was  to  have  been  my  son's  wife ;  but  the  Great  Spirit 
took  my  son  away.  She  is  all  that  is  left  to  me  now.' 

"  The  old  woman's  voice  trembled  as  she  spoke  the 
last  few  words,  and  she  spread  her  skinny  hands  over 
the  small  fire  that  smouldered  in  the  centre  of  the  floor. 

"  I  was  proceeding  to  make  further  inquiries  into  this 
girl's  history  when  the  curtain-door  of  the  tent  was  raised 
and  Oolibuck  thrust  in  his  shaggy  head. 

" '  Please,  sir,  de  ole  chief,  him  wants  baccy.  I  have 
smoke  all  mine.  Vill  you  give  some?' 

" '  Here  you  are,'  said  I,  throwing  a  lump  to  the 
Esquimaux.  '  Send  Maximus  to  me ;  I  want  to  speak 
with  him.' 

" '  I  is  here,'  said  Maximus,  outside  the  tent. 

"  '  Ah  !  that's  right.  Now,  Old  Moggy,  I'll  be  back  in 
a  few  minutes,  so  don't  go  to  sleep  till  I  return.' 

"  As  I  was  about  to  issue  from  the  tent,  the  young  girl 
passed  me  hastily,  and,  drawing  the  hood  over  her  head 
and  face,  darted  through  the  opening.  I  found  Maximus 
gazing  after  her  in  surprise. 

"•  Hallo,  Maximus!  what's  wrong?  Do  you  think  the 
girl's  a  witch  ?  ' 

"  '  No  ;  but  I  link  she  be  funny.  She  look  close  into 
my  face,  and  fly  'way  when  you  come  hout  o'  tent.' 

li '  That's  odd.     Did  you  ever  see  her  before  ?  ' 

'• '  I  not  see  her  yet.     She  keep  face  covered  up.' 


368  UNGAVA. 

" '  "Well,  come  along,  it  doesn't  signify.  I  want  you  to 
go  with  me  to  the  chief's  wigwam,  to  ask  where  we  are 
to  put  the  dogs  for  the  night,  and  to  see  about  our  own 
quarters.' 

"  Old  Moggy's  wigwam  stood  at  the  distance  of  several 
hundred  yards  from  the  other  tents  of  the  village,  from 
which  it  was  separated  by  a  belt  of  stunted  trees  and 
willows.  Through  this  copsewood  Maximus  and  I  took 
our  way,  following  one  of  the  many  beaten  tracks  made 
by  the  Indians.  The  night  was  clear,  and  we  found  no 
difficulty  in  picking  our  steps  among  the  low  shrubs. 
When  we  were  about  half  way  through  this  wood,  I 
observed  a  female  form  gliding  among  the  bushes.  She 
ran  towards  Maximus,  who  walked  in  advance  and  con 
cealed  me  with  his  bulky  form.  But  a  flight  bend  in  the 
road  revealed  my  figure,  and  the  woman  paused,  as  if 
uncertain  what  to  do. 

"'  Surely  that  is  your  unknown  friend  again,'  said  I. 
as  we  both  halted.  Then  I  beckoned  her  to  approach. 
At  first  she  appeared  unwilling  to  do  so,  but  suddenly 
she  seemed  to  change  her  mind,  and  walking  boldly  up 
to  Maximus,  she  threw  back  her  hood  and  stood  before 
him.  I  observed  that  she  was  Moggy's  young  friend, 
but  a  wondrous  change  had  come  over  her.  The  pale 
cheeks  were  now  covered  with  a  bright  blush,  and  the 
sad  eyes  were  sparkling  with  an:ination,  as  she  gazed 
intently  into  the  face  of  the  Esquimaux.  For  a 
few  seconds  Maximus  looked  like  one  thunderstruck. 
'Aneetka!'  he  exclaimed  vehemently,  and,  striding  for 
ward  with  a  suppressed  cry,  clasped  the  girl  in  his  arms. 
"  You  may  easily  conceive  my  surprise  at  this  scene. 
Immediately  the  recollection  of  the  attack  by  Indian?  on 
the  Esquimaux  camp,  and  of  Maximus's  young  bride 


UXGAVA.  3G9 

having  been  carried  off,  flashed  upon  me,  and  I  had  no 
doubt  that  the  Esquimaux  girl  now  stood  before  me. 
Indeed,  the  fact  of  the  broken  exclamations  uttered  by 
the  pair  being  in  the  Esquimaux  tongue  put  this  beyond 
a  doubt.  A  feeling  of  great  delight  filled  my  heart  as  I 
looked  upon  the  couple  thus  unexpectedly  reunited ; 
while  they,  quite  oblivious  of  my  presence,  poured  out  a 
flood  of  question  and  reply,  in  the  midst  of  which  they 
ever  and  anon  embraced,  to  make  sure,  no  doubt,  of  their 
physical  identity.  Then  it  suddenly  occurred  to  me  that 
I  was  behaving  very  ill,  so  I  wheeled  about  and  saun 
tered  away  to  a  little  distance  in  the  direction  of  the 
shore,  in  order  to  take  some  astronomical  observations  of 
the  sky,  and  gaze  inquiringly  up  at  the  moon,  which  at 
that  moment  broke  through  a  bank  of  clouds,  tipping  the 
icebergs  on  the  sea  and  the  branches  of  the  overhanging 
trees  with  silver  light. 

"  In  quarter  of  an  hour  Maximus  came  to  me  and  pre 
sented  his  long-lost  bride,  Aneetka,  whose  pretty  face 
beamed  with  joy ;  while  her  lover's  frame  appeared  to 
expand  with  felicity  until  he  looked  like  an  exaggerated 
Hercules.  But  we  had  no  time  to  waste  in  talking  of  the 
past.  The  present  required  our  instant  and  earnest  at 
tention  ;  so  we  sat  down  on  the  stem  of  a  fallen  tree  to 
consult  as  to  how  we  were  to  get  Aneetka  out  of  the 
hands  of  her  Indian  captors.  Her  brief  history,  after 
she  was  captured  at  Ungava,  was  as  follows : — 

"  '  The  Indian  who  had  intended  to  make  her  his  bride 
found  her  resolved  leather  to  die  than  to  marry  him ;  but 
hoping  that  time  would  overcome  her  objection,  he  placed 
her  under  the  care  of  his  widowed  mother,  Old  Moggy, 
on  returning  to  his  village  in  the  interior.  Soon  after- 
wards  this  Indian  was  killed  by  a  brown  bear,  and  the 

24 


370  UNGAVA. 

poor  mother  became  a  sort  of  outcast  from  the  tribe, 
having  no  relations  to  look  after  her.  She  was  occasion 
ally  assisted,  however,  by  two  youths,  who  came  to  sue 
for  the  hand  of  the  Esquimaux  girl.  But  Aneetka,  true 
to  her  first  love,  would  not  listen  to  their  proposals.  One 
of  these  lovers  was  absent  on  a  hunting  expedition  at 
the  time  we  discovered  Aneetka ;  the  other,  a  surly  fel 
low,  and  disliked  by  the  most  of  his  comrades,  was  in  the 
camp.  From  the  day  of  her  son's  death,  a  feeling  of 
sympathy  had  sprung  up  between  Old  Moggy  and  the 
Esquimaux  girl,  and  this  had  gradually  strengthened  into 
affection.' 

"  Thus  matters  stood  when  we  fell  in  with  her.  After 
much  deliberation,  it  was  resolved  that  I  should  go  to  the 
old  chief  and  tell  him  that  Old  Moggy  and  her  adopted 
child  wished  to  quit  the  tribe,  and  go  to  Moose  with  us, 
to  live  there  ;  while  Aneetka  should  go  and  acquaint  her 
old  protector  with  our  plans  and  her  own  altered  circum 
stances. 

"'Adieu,  then,  Aneetka,'  said  I,  as  the  girl  pushed  her 
lover  away  and  bounded  into  the  woods.  '  Now,  Maxi- 
mus,  nothing  will  do  for  it  but  stout  hearts  and  strong 
arms.  Come  along,  lad.' 

"  I  found,  to  my  surprise,  that  the  old  chief  had  no 
objection  to  the  arrangement  I  proposed.  A  few  of  the 
others  did  not  seem  inclined  to  part  with  their  captive ; 
but  I  explained  to  them  the  advantage  it  would  be  to 
them  to  have  friends  at  court,  as  it  were ;  and  said  that 
the  fur  traders  would  be  glad  to  support  Moggy  in  her 
old  age, — which  was  true  enough,  for  you  all  know  as 
well  as  I  do  that  there  is  not  a  post  in  the  country  where 
there  are  not  one  or  more  old  or  otherwise  helpless 
Indians  supported  gratuitously  by  the  Pludson's  Bay 


UNGAVA.  371 

Company.  The  only  man  who  resolutely  opposed  the 
proposal  was  Meestagoosh,  the  rejected  lover ;  but  I 
silenced  him  in  a  novel  manner.  He  was  a  tall,  power 
ful  fellow,  of  about  my  own  size. 

" '  Come/  said  I  to  his  assembled  comrades,  in  the 
Indian  language,  for  I  found  they  understood  my  bad 
mixture  of  Cree  and  Sauteaux  very  well.  '  Come, 
friends,  let  us  deal  fairly  in  this  matter.  My  man  there 
has  taken  a  fancy  to  the  girl, — let  Meestagoosh  and 
Maximus  wrestle  for  her.' 

"  A  loud  laugh  greeted  this  proposal,  as  the  Indians 
surveyed  the  huge  proportions  of  my  Esquimaux. 

"  '  Well,  then,'  I  continued,  '  if  Meestagoosh  is  afraid 
of  the  Esquimaux,  I  have  no  objections  to  try  him  my 
self.'  The  Indian  looked  at  me  with  an  angry  glance, 
and  seemed,  I  thought,  half  inclined  to  accept  the  chal 
lenge  ;  so,  to  cut  the  matter  short,  I  took  him  by  the 
throat  and  hurled  him  to  the  ground,— a  feat  which  was 
evidently  enjoyed  by  his  countrymen. 

"  Meestagoosh  rose  and  retired  with  a  savage  scowl  on 
his  face,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  him.  Indeed,  I  believe 
he  left  the  camp  immediately. 

"  After  this  no  opposition  was  offered,  and  I  made  the 
matter  sure  by  distributing  a  large  quantity  of  powder, 
shot,  and  tobacco,  to  the  chiefs.  Old  Moggy  made  no 
objection  to  our  plan ;  so  we  set  out  the  next  day  with 
an  additional  dog  purchased  from  the  Indians  in  order  to 
make  our  team  strong  enough  to  haul  the  old  woman 
when  she  got  knocked  up  with  walking.  Six  days 
brought  us  to  Moose  Fort,  just  as  the  ice  on  the  river 
was  breaking  up.  Here,  as  I  have  already  told  you, 
Maximus  and  Aneetka  were  married  in  due  form  by 
the  Wesleyan  missionary,  after  they  had  received  some 


372  UNGAVA. 

instruction  and  expressed  their  desire  to  become  Chris 
tians.  Then  they  were  supplied  with  a  canoe  and  all 
necessary  provision,  and  sent  off  to  go  round  the  coast 
to  Ungava,  accompanied  by  our  good  dog  Chimo,  for 
whom  we  had  now  no  further  use,  and  by  Old  Moggy, 
who  would  not  consent  to  be  separated  from  her  friend 
Aneetka.  They  started  along  the  coast  on  a  fine  spring 
day,  and  the  back  of  his  seal-skin  coat,  shining  in  the 
sun's  rays  like  velvet,  as  the  canoe  swept  out  to  sea,  and 
disappeared  behind  a  low  point,  was  the  last  that  I  saw  of 
Maximus. 

"  I  will  not  weary  you  just  now,"  continued  Frank, 
"  with  the  details  of  my  subsequent  journeyings,  as,  al 
though  full  of  incidents,  nothing  of  a  very  thrilling  char 
acter  occurred  except  once.  At  Moose  I  remained  till 
the  rivers  were  clear  of  ice,  and  then  set  off  into  the  in 
terior  of  the  country  with  a  small  canoe  and  five  men, 
Oolibuck  being  bowsman.  For  many  days  we  voyaged 
by  rivers  and  lakes,  until  we  arrived  at  the  Michipicoton 
River,  which  is  a  very  rough  one,  and  full  of  tremendous 
falls  and  rapids.  One  day,  while  we  were  descending  a 
rapid  that  rushed  through  a  dark  gorge  of  frowning  rocks, 
and  terminated  in  a  fall,  our  canoe  was  broken  in  two, 
and  the  most  of  us  thrown  into  the  water.  We  all 
swam  ashore  in  safety,  with  the  exception  of  one  man, 
who  clung  to  the  canoe,  poor  fellow,  and  was  carried 
along  with  it  over  the  fall.  We  never  saw  him  more, 
although  we  searched  long  and  carefully  for  his  body. 

"  We  now  found  ourselves  in  a  very  forlorn  condition. 
We  were  dripping  wet  without  the  means  of  making  a 
fire,  and  without  provisions  or  blankets,  in  the  midst  of  a 
wild,  uninhabited  country.  However,  we  did  not  lose 
heart,  but  set  off  on  foot  to  follow  the  river  to  its  mouth, 


UNGAVA.  373 

where  we  knew  we  should  find  relief  at  Michipicoton 
Fort.  The  few  days  that  followed  were  the  most  mis 
erable  I  ever  passed.  We  allayed  the  cravings  of  hun 
ger  by  scraping  off  the  inner  bark  of  the  trees,  and  by 
a  few  of  last  year's  berries,  which  had  been  frozen  and  so 
preserved.  Once  or  twice  we  crossed  the  river  on  rafts 
of  drift-wood,  and  at  night  lay  down  close  to  each  other 
under  the  shelter  of  a  tree  or  cliff.  At  length  we  arrived 
at  the  fort  on  Lake  Superior,  quite  worn  out  with  fatigue 
and  starvation.  Here  we  waited  until  the  canoes  from 
Canada  passed ;  and,  after  a  somewhat  similar  voyage, 
through  woods,  rivers,  and  lakes,  arrived  at  length,  about 
the  beginning  of  autumn,  at  York  Fort,  on  Hudson's 
Bay. 

"  Here  I  spent  some  weeks  in  recalling  to  memory  and 
recording  on  paper  the  contents  of  my  despatches,  which 
had  been  lost,  along  with  our  canoe  and  baggage,  in 
Michipicoton  River ;  and  when  these  were  finished  and 
delivered,  I  embarked,  along  with  our  outfit  of  goods,  in 
the  '  Beaver,'  and  sailed  for  Ungava.  I  need  scarcely 
add  that  the  voyage  was  a  prosperous  one,  and  that  the 
brightest  day  in  it  all  was  that  on  which  we  found  the 
boat,  with  our  dear  little  Edith,  beset  among  the  ice  near 
the  entrance  to  Ungava  Bay." 

While  Frank  was  thus  occupied  in  narrating  the  events 
of  his  long  journey  in  the  hall  of  Fort  Chimo,  Oolibuck 
was  similarly  employed  in  entertaining  the  men.  After 
the  day's  toil  of  unloading  the  ship  was  over,  he  was 
placed  in  the  middle  of  the  circle,  directly  in  front  of 
the  blazing  fire,  by  Dick  Prince  and  Massan  ;  while 
Moses,  Oostesimow,  Gaspard,  and  Ma-istequan,  sat  on  his 
right ;  and  Bryan,  La  Roche,  Franpois,  and  Augustus, 
supported  him  on  the  left, — all  having  pipes  in  their 


374  UNGAVA. 

mouths,  which  were  more  or  less  blackened  by  constant 
use.  A  pipe  was  then  handed  to  Oolibuck,  and  the  or 
der  given,  generally  by  Bryan,  to  "  blaze  away." 

This  the  oily-visaged  Esquimaux  did  with  right  good 
will ;  and  the  shouts  of  laughter  which  issued  from  the 
house  occasionally,  as  he  proceeded  with  his  interminable 
narration,  proved  that  the  spirit  and  humor  of  the  stout 
voyageur  had  not  been  crushed  by  the  trials  and  dangers 
of  his  long,  eventful  journey. 


UNGAVA.  375 


CHAPTER   XXXV. 

A    STIRRING    PERIOD    IN    THE    LIFE    OF    MAXIMUS. 

INTERMINGLED  joy  and  sorrow  is  the  lot  of  man  ! 
Thus  it  has  ever  been, — thus,  no  doubt,  it  shall  con 
tinue  to  be  until  the  present  economy  shall  have  reached 
its  termination.  "  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth 
do  right  ?  "  is  a  sufficient  reply  to  those  who  would  fain 
have  it  otherwise.  But,  independently  of  this  view  of 
the  subject,  may  we  not,  with  the  painter's  eye,  regard 
joy  as  the  light,  sorrow  as  the  shade,  in  the  picture  of 
life  ?  And  who  would  have  a  painting  all  light  or  all 
shadow  ? 

Maximus  found  it  so  in  his  experience.  The  shadows 
in  the  picture  of  his  life  had  of  late  been  broad  and  dark  ; 
but  a  flash  of  vivid  brilliancy  had  crossed  it  when  he  found 
his  bride.  Afterwards  the  light  and  shade  were  check 
ered,  as  we  shall  see. 

On  leaving  Moose,  Maximus  proceeded  a  day's  journey 
along  the  coast,  and  at  night,  as  the  weather  was  fine,  he 
encamped,  with  his  wife  and  Old  Moggy  and  Chimo,  on 
the  open  sea-shore.  Here  he  held  a  consultation  as  to 
their  future  proceedings.  As  long  as  they  were  on  the 
shore  of  James's  Bay  they  were  in  danger  of  being 
found  by  Indians;  but  once  beyond  Richmond  Gulf,  they 
would  be  comparatively  safe,  and  in  the  land  of  the  Es- 
quimax.  After  mature  deliberation,  it  was  resolved  that 
they  should  travel  during  the  night,  and  rest  and  cook 


37  0  UMGAVA. 

their  food  during  the  daytime,  when  a  fire  would  not  be 
so  likely  to  attract  attention,  if  kindled  in  sequestered 
places. 

This  plan  answered  very  well ;  and  they  passed  stealth 
ily  along  the  coast,  when  the  Indians,  if  there  were  any 
there,  were  buried  in  repose.  On  approaching  the  camp 
of  the  tribe,  however,  from  whom  Aneetka  had  been 
taken,  Maximus  deemed  it  advisable  to  paddle  far  out  to 
sea, — the  weather  being  fortunately  calm, — and  to  rest 
for  a  day  and  a  night  as  well  as  they  could  in  their  frail 
bark.  Maximus  sat  in  the  stern  of  the  canoe  and  steered  ; 
his  wife  sat  in  the  bow  and  paddled  day  after  day  as  vig 
orously  as  if  she  had  been  a  man.  As  for  poor  Old  Moggy, 
she  sat  in  the  middle  and  paddled  a  little  when  she  felt 
cold  ;  but  she  slept  during  the  greater  part  of  the  journey. 
Chimo  conceived  it  to  be  his  duty  to  enjoy  himself, 
and  did  so  accordingly,  at  all  times  and  in  every  possi 
ble  way. 

During  that  livelong  day  and  night,  and  all  the  follow 
ing  day,  the  giant's  arm  never  flagged ;  Aneetka,  too,  rested 
only  once  or  twice  at  the  earnest  request  of  her  husband  ; 
but  the  little  bark  never  once  slackened  its  speed  until 
the  second  night.  Then  Old  Moggy  was  awakened. 

"  Mother,"  said  Aneetka,  who  acted  as  interpreter  be 
tween  her  husband  and  the  old  woman,  "  we  want  to 
sleep  for  an  hour  or  two.  You  seem  to  have  rested  well. 
Will  you  wake  and  watch  ?  " 

The  old  woman  yawned,  rubbed  her  eyes,  and  assent 
ed,  after  the  question  had  been  twice  repeated.  Then, 
laying  their  heads  on  opposite  sides  of  the  canoe,  without 
otherwise  changing  their  positions,  the  husband  and  wife 
sank  into  repose. 

Two  hours  afterwards,  the  old  Indian  woman,  who  had 


UNGAVA.  377 

remained  motionless  as  a  dark  statue  all  the  time,  ut 
tered  a  slight  sound.  Instantly  the  sleepers  awoke,  for 
those  who  are  in  the  midst  of  danger  sleep  lightly. 

"  It  is  time  to  go  on,"  said  the  old  woman,  as  she  lay 
back  again  in  her  lair,  rolled  herself  up  into  a  bundle, 
and  went  to  sleep. 

Maximus  and  his  wife  resumed  their  paddles,  and  the 
light  craft  glided  swiftly  on  its  way  to  the  far  north. 

As  the  sun  rose  they  neared  the  land,  and,  soon  after, 
they  were  seated,  not  far  from  a  high  cliff,  eating  their 
breakfast  beside  a  small  fire,  which  sent  so  thin  a  column 
of  smoke  into  the  air  that  it  was  almost  dissipated  ere  it 
reached  the  tree  tops.  It  was  hoped  that  the  Indians 
had  been  now  so  far  overshot  that  there  was  no  danger 
of  even  a  straggler  being  near  them.  But  they  took  the 
precaution  to  load  their  two  guns  with  ball,  and  lean 
them  against  a  tree  within  reach  of  their  hands.  When 
the  meal  was  over,  Maximus  retired  from  the  fire  a  few 
paces,  and,  throwing  himself  at  full  length  on  the  green 
moss  beneath  a  tree,  he  fell  into  a  sound  sleep. 

He  had  not  lain  thus  more  than  quarter  of  an  hour 
when  he  was  startled  by  the  report  of  a  gun,  which  was 
followed  by  a  wild  scream  and  a  chorus  of  unearthly 
yells.  At  the  same  instant,  and  ere  he  could  attempt  to 
rise,  his  legs  and  arms  were  pinioned  to  the  ground  by 
four  powerful  Indians.  For  an  instant  Maximus  was 
paralyzed.  Then  the  terrible  reality  of  his  position,  the 
scream  of  Aneetka,  and  the  sight  of  the  thong  with 
which  his  captors  were  about  to  bind  him,  caused  his 
spirit  to  rebound  with  a  degree  of  violence  that  lent  him 
for  the  moment  the  strength  of  a  giant.  With  a  shout, 
in  which  a  tone  even  of  contempt  seemed  to  mingle,  the 
Esquimaux  hurled  his  captors  right  and  left,  and  sprang 


378  UNGAVA. 

to  his  feet.  The  Indians  fled  ; — but  one,  who  was  a  mo 
ment  later  in  rising  than  the  others,  received  a  blow  that 
felled  him  instantly.  Maximus  glanced  quickly  round 
in  search  of  his  wife,  and  observed  her  being  hurried 
away  by  two  Indians.  As  the  arrow  leaps  from  the  bow 
the  Esquimaux  sprang  forward  in  pursuit.  The  Indians 
saw  him  coming.  In  bitter  anger  they  prepared  to  let 
her  go  and  fly ;  for,  having  dropped  their  guns  in  the 
scuffle,  they  were  unable  to  fire  upon  their  approaching 
foe.  But  there  were  other  Indians  in  the  bush  whose 
weapons  were  levelled  at  the  breast  of  Maximus,  and 
the  next  moment  would  have  been  his  last,  but  for  a 
stone  thrown  from  the  cliffs  above,  which  struck  him  on 
the  forehead,  and  stretched  him  bleeding  and  insensible 
upon  the  ground. 

When  Maximus  recovered  from  the  effects  of  the 
blow,  he  found  himself  lying  on  the  cold  earth  in  total 
darkness,  and  firmly  bound  hand  and  foot.  It  is  impossi 
ble  to  describe  the  agony  of  that  bold  spirit  as  he  lay 
writhing  on  the  ground,  in  the  vain  effort  to  burst  the 
cords  that  bound  him.  He  thought  of  Aneetka  and  his 
own  utter  helplessness,  while  she  was,  no  doubt,  in  ur 
gent  need  of  his  strong  arm  to  deliver  her.  The  thought 
maddened  him,  and  again  he  strove  in  vain  to  burst  his 
fetters,  and  yelled  aloud  in  despair.  The  echoing  rocks 
gave  back  his  cry,  and  then  all  was  silence.  The  dread 
ful  thought  now  flashed  across  him,  that  the  Indians  had 
buried  him  alive  in  some  dark  cavern  ;  and,  brave 
though  he  was,  he  trembled  in  every  limb  with  agony. 

Thus  Maximus  lay  until  the  gray  dawn  shone  in  upon 
him,  and  showed  that  he  was  in  a  cave.  Scarcely  had 
he  noted  this  fact,  when  the  figure  of  a  man  darkened 
the  cave's  mouth  and  approached  him.  As  the  Indian 


UNGAVA.  379 

bent  over  his  helpless  foe,  he  revealed  the  savage  fea 
tures  of  Meestagoosh.  For  an  instant  he  cast  a  look  of 
mingled  hatred  and  triumph  on  his  enemy ;  then,  draw 
ing  a  scalping-knife  from  his  girdle,  he  stooped,  and  cut 
the  thong  that  bound  his  feet,  at  the  same  time  signing 
to  him  to  rise,  for  he  knew  that  Maximus  did  not  under 
stand  Indian.  The  Esquimaux  obeyed,  and  was  led 
by  the  Indian  through  the  woods  towards  the  cliff  where 
the  struggle  of  the  previous  night  had  taken  place. 
Here  they  came  suddenly  into  view  of  the  Indian  camp. 

There  were  no  tents  ;  several  green  blankets  that  lay 
on  the  moss  under  the  trees  indicated  where  the  party 
had  lain  during  the  night ;  and,  at  a  considerable  dis 
tance  apart  from  these  sat  Old  Moggy,  with  her  face 
buried  in  her  skinny  hands.  Beside  her  stood  Aneetka, 
with  a  calm  but  slightly  anxious  expression  on  her  pale 
countenance.  Chimo  was  held  in  a  leash  by  an  Indian. 
From  the  fact  of  the  Indians  being  without  tents  or 
women,  and  having  their  faces  daubed  with  red  paint, 
besides  being  armed  with  knives,  guns,  and  tomahawks, 
Maximus  concluded  that  they  composed  a  war  party. 

On  seeing  her  husband,  Aneetka  uttered  a  suppressed 
cry,  and  bounded  towards  him ;  but  ere  she  had  pro 
ceeded  two  paces,  an  Indian  laid  his  hand  on  her  arm, 
and  led  her  back  to  where  the  old  woman  sat.  Meesta 
goosh  led  Maximus  to  the  same  spot,  and,  having  con 
fronted  him  with  his  wife,  he  said  to  the  latter, — 

"  Now,  she-bear  of  the  north,  translate  between  us. 
If  I  think  you  tell  lies,  the  dogs  shall  have  your  bones 
to  pick." 

Aneetka  replied  meekly,  "  You  cannot  hurt  one  hair 
of  our  heads  unless  the  Great  Spirit  permit  you." 

"  We  shall  see,"  retorted  the  Indian,  with  a  scornful 
lausrh. 


380  UNGAVA. 

"Tell  the  polar  bear,"  continued  Meestagoosh,  in  a 
contemptuous  tone,  "  that  I  did  not  expect  to  catch  him 
so  soon.  I  have  been  fortunate.  It  was  kind  of  him  to 
come  in  my  way,  and  to  bring  his  she-bear  with  him. 
Tell  him  that  I  and  my  braves  are  going  to  pay  a  visit 
to  his  nation,  to  take  a  few  scalps.  I  let  him  know  this 
piece  of  good  news  because  he  will  never  know  it  from 
his  friends,  as  he  shall  be  food  for  dogs  very  soon." 

On  this  being  translated,  the  face  of  Maximus  as 
sumed  an  expression  of  deep  gravity,  mingled  with  sad 
ness.  His  mind  flew  to  the  far  north,  and  he  thought  of 
the  midnight  assault  and  the  death-cry  of  women  and 
children.  The  nature  of  the  Esquimaux  was  too  noble 
and  generous  to  be  easily  ruffled  by  the  contemptuous 
tone  of  such  a  man  as  Meestagoosh  ;  but  his  heart  sank 
within  him  when  he  thought  of  the  power  as  well  as  the 
will  that  the  Indian  had  to  put  his  threat  in  execution. 

"  Tell  him,"  said  Maximus  quietly,  "  that  I  have  no 
wish  to  talk  with  him,  but  remind  him  that  Indians  are 
not  gods  ;  they  are  men." 

"Yes,  he  says  truly,"  retorted  Meestagoosh, '-the  In 
dians  are  men  ;  but  Esquimaux  are  dogs." 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on,  and  the  Indians 
were  intent  upon  the  scene,  Old  Moggy,  who  was  not 
deemed  worthy  of  being  noticed,  contrived  unobserved 
to  possess  herself  of  a  knife,  and,  springing  suddenly 
towards  Maximus,  with  an  agility  of  which  she  seemed 
utterly  incapable,  she  endeavored  to  cut  the  thongs  that 
bound  his  arms.  Her  hand  was  caught  however,  by 
Meestagoosh,  in  time  to  frustrate  her  intention.  With 
out  deigning  a  word  of  remark,  the  Indian  struck  her  a 
heavy  blow  on  the  cheek  with  the  back  of  his  open  hand, 
which  nearly  stunned  her.  Staggering  backward,  she 
fell  upon  the  ground  with  a  low  wail. 


UNGAVA.  381 

The  bo-om  of  Muximus  felt  as  if  it  would  burst  with 
rage.  Before  any  one  could  prevent  him.  he  raised  his 
foot  and  struck  Meestagoosh  so  violently  on  the  chest 
that  he  fell  as  if  he  had  been  shot.  In  a  moment  he 
recovered,  drew  his  knife,  and  springing  like  an  infuri 
ated  tiger  at  his  enemy,  drove  it  with  deadly  force  at  his 
throat.  Fortunately  the  arms  of  Maximus  were  tied  in 
front  of  him,  so  that  by  raising  them  he  was  enabled  to 
guard  his  chest  and  receive  the  stab  on  his  wrist.  The 
knife  passed  quite  through  the  fleshy  part  of  his  left  arm, 
but  in  doing  so  it  severed  one  of  the  cords  that  bound 
him.  Thought  is  not  quicker  than  the  mighty  wrench 
with  which  the  Esquimaux  burst  the  remaining  cord  and 
dashed  his  opponent  to  the  ground.  Before  the  aston 
ished  Indians  could  level  their  guns,  Maximus  had  seized 
Aneetka  in  his  arms  and  was  bounding  madly  towards 
the  cliff,  which  was  not  more  than  fifty  yards  distant. 
Every  gun  poured  forth  its  deadly  contents  before  he 
gained  it ;  but  his  very  nearness  to  the  Indians  seemed 
to  contribute  to  his  safety,  and  the  suddenness  of  his 
flight  rendered  their  hasty  aim  uncertain.  In  another 
moment  he  was  round  the  point  and  behind  the  shelter 
ing  cliff,  while  the  Indians  uttered  a  terrific  yell  and 
darted  forward  in  pursuit.  Just  about  thirty  paces  be 
yond  the  point  of  the  cliff  that  hid  him  for  a  few  mo 
ments  from  view,  was  the  cave  in  which  Maximus  had 
spent  the  night.  Quick  as  thought  he  sprang  up  the 
steep  short  ascent  that  led  to  its  narrow  entrance  and 
darted  in. 

Scarcely  had  he  placed  Aneetka  behind  a  projection 
that  formed  an  ample  shelter  at  the  mouth  of  the  cave, 
when  Chimo,  who  had  broken  from  his  captors,  also 
darted  in  and  crouched  at  his  master's  feet.  Meanwhile 


382  UNGAVA. 

the  Indians  came  sweeping  round  the  point,  and  seeing, 
by  the  entrance  of  the  dog,  where  the  fugitives  had  taken 
shelter,  they  bounded  up  the  ascent.  The  first  who 
reached  the  cave's  mouth  rashly  passed  the  entrance. 
Ere  he  could  fire  his  piece,  he  received  a  blow  from  the 
fist  of  the  Esquimaux  that  fractured  his  skull,  hurled 
him  down  the  steep  ascent,  and  dashed  him  against  his 
comrades  in  the  rear.  This  sudden  repulse  effectually 
checked  the  Indians,  who  are  notoriously  bad  at  storm 
ing.  Indeed,  they  would  never  have  ventured  to  enter 
the  cave  in  this  manner  had  they  not  known  that  Maxi- 
mus  was  totally  unarmed. 

Withdrawing  to  a  distance  of  about  forty  yards,  the 
Indians  now  formed  in  a  line,  and,  loading  their  guns, 
fired  volley  after  volley  into  the  cave's  mouth.  But 
Maximus  and  his  wife  crouched  with  the  dog  behind  the 
ledge  of  rock  at  the  entrance,  and  remained  there  in 
perfect  safety.  In  a  few  minutes  the  Indians  ceased 
firing,  and  one  of  their  number  cautiously  approached  the 
cave,  supposing,  no  doubt,  that  the  fusillade  must  have 
wounded  if  it  had  not  killed  those  within  ;  but  the  instant 
he  passed  the  entrance,  knife  in  hand,  he  was  caught  in 
the  powerful  arms  of  Maximus  and  hurled  down  the 
slope. 

A  yell  of  indignation  from  the  Indians  followed  this 
feat,  and  another  volley  was  fired  into  the  cave,  but  with 
out  effect ;  and  the  savages,  seeing  that  it  was  impossible 
in  this  way  to  dislodge  their  foe,  assembled  in  a  group  to 
consult. 

Meanwhile  Old  Moggy  had  made  good  use  of  the  op 
portunity  thus  afforded  her  to  effect  her  escape.  She 
darted  into  the  bushes  and  made  for  the  rocky  ground  in 
the  rear  of  the  camp.  In  doing  so  she  happened  to  pass 


UNGAVA.  383 

the  tree  against  which  leaned  the  two  guns  belonging  to 
her  friends.  They  had  escaped  notice  during  the  melee 
of  the  previous  day,  and  with  the  shot-belts  arid  powder- 
horns,  remained  where  they  had  been  placed  when  she 
and  her  companions  landed.  The  old  woman  eagerly 
seized  these,  and  clambered  with  them  over  the  rocks  at 
a  rate  that  would  have  done  credit  to  more  youthful 
limbs.  On  reaching  a  ridge  of  rock  that  overlooked  the 
cave  where  Maximus  was  sheltered,  Old  Moggy  became 
aware  of  how  matters  stood.  She  could  also  see,  from 
her  elevated  position,  that  a  track,  or  the  bed  of  a  dried 
up  watercourse,  led  through  the  bushes  towards  the  cave. 
Without  a  moment's  delay  she  descended  it ;  but,  on 
drawing  near  to  the  cave,  she  found  that  there  was  a  bar 
ren  spot  of  about  thirty  yards  in  extent  between  the  place 
of  refuge  and  the  edge  of  the  bushes.  This  open  space 
was  completely  exposed  to  the  view  of  the  natives  ;  who 
at  that  time  were  firing  across  it  into  the  cavern ;  for, 
after  their  consultation,  they  had  changed  their  position 
and  renewed  the  fusillade.  Moggy  was  now  in  despair. 
She  knew  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  pass  the  open 
ground  without  being  shot,  and  she  also  felt  certain  that, 
when  the  Indians  found  their  present  attempts  were  fruit 
less,  they  would  resort  to  others,  in  prosecuting  which 
they  would  in  all  probability  discover  her.  While  she 
meditated  thus,  she  looked  earnestly  towards  the  cave, 
and  observed  the  astonished  gaze  of  Maximus  fixed  upon 
her  ;  for,  from  his  position  behind  the  ledge  of  rock,  he 
could  see  the  old  woman  without  exposing  himself  to  the 
Indians.  While  they  gazed  at  each  other,  a  thought 
occurred  to  old  Moggy.  She  made  a  series  of  compli 
cated  signs,  which,  after  frequent  repetition,  were  under 
stood  by  Maximus  to  mean  that  he  was  to  expose  him 
self  to  the  view  of  the  Indians. 


384  UNGAVA. 

Instantly  comprehending  her  meaning,  the  Esquimaux 
stepped  boldly  from  his  place  of  concealment  and  shook  his 
fist  contemptuously  in  the  face  of  his  enemies.  A  shower 
of  bullets  and  a  yell  of  rage  followed  the  act.  This  was 
just  what  Old  Moggy  had  expected  and  desired.  Xot  a 
gun  remained  undischarged,  and  before  they  could  reload, 
she  passed  quickly  over  the  open  ground  and  bounded 
into  the  cave,  where  she  turned  and  shook  aloft  the  two 
guns  with  a  hoarse  laugh  of  triumph  ere  she  sought  the 
shelter  of  the  ledge  of  rock. 

The  Indians  were  so  filled  with  fury,  at  being  thus 
outwitted  by  an  old  woman,  that  they  forgot  for  a  mo 
ment  their  usual  caution,  and  rushed  in  a  body  up  the 
slope  ;  but  ere  they  had  accomplished  half  the  distance 
two  of  their  number  fell  to  rise  no  more.  This  was  suffi 
cient  to  check  their  career.  Howling  with  baffled  rage, 
and  without  waiting  to  pick  up  their  fallen  comrades, 
they  darted  right  and  left  to  seek  the  shelter  of  the 
bushes ;  for  they  could  no  longer  remain  in  the  open 
ground  now  that  their  enemies  were  armed. 

For  nearly  an  hour  after  this  all  was  silence.  Maxi- 
mus  and  his  companions  could  only  form  conjectures  as 
to  the  movements  of  the  Indians,  for  none  of  them  were 
to  be  seen.  However,  as  they  had  no  resource  but  to 
remain  in  their  retreat  until  nightfall,  they  endeavored 
to  make  the  place  as  comfortable  as  possible,  and  busied 
themselves  in  cleansing  of  their  arms. 

It  happened  that  from  the  cave's  mouth  they  could  see 
their  canoe,  which  still  lay  on  the  beach  where  they  had 
originally  left  it ;  and,  while  they  were  looking  at  it,  they 
perceived  one  of  the  Indians  steffting  down  toAvards  it. 
Fortunately  Maximus  had  a  gun  in  his  hand  ready 
loaded,  and  the  instant  the  Indian  appeared  he  fired  and 


UXGAVA.  385 

shot  him.  No  second  Indian  dared  to  venture  towards 
the  little  craft,  although  it  lay  only  a  few  yards  distant 
from  the  edge  of  the  forest;  for  they  knew  that  the  watch 
ful  eye  of  the  Esquimaux  was  upon  them,  and  that  in 
stant  death  would  be  the  fate  of  him  who  should  make 
the  attempt.  The  little  canoe  now  became  an  object  of 
intense  interest  to  both  parties.  The  Indians  knew  that 
if  their  foe  should  succeed  in  reaching  it  he  could  easily 
escape.  This,  of  course,  he  could  not  hope  to  do  as  long 
as  daylight  lasted ;  nor  even  when  night  should  arrive, 
unless  it  were  a  very  dark  one.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
they  knew  that  they  did  not  dare  to  venture  near  it  so 
long  as  there  was  sufficient  light  to  enable  Maxirnus  to 
take  aim  at  them  with  his  deadly  gun.  Both  parties, 
therefore,  remained  silent  and  apparently  inactive  during 
the  remainder  of  the  day. 

But  the  busy  brains  both  of  Indians  and  Esquimaux 
were,  during  this  weary  interval,  employed  in  planning 
how  to  circumvent  each  other.  As  the  shades  of  night 
deepened,  each  became  more  watchful.  Once  only  did 
Maximus  move  from  his  post,  in  order  to  go  to  the  far 
ther  end  of  the  cave,  where  the  large  powder-horn  had 
been  placed  for  safety.  As  he  did  so,  Chimo,  who  was 
tied  to  a  rock,  tried  to  follow  him,  and  on  finding  that  he 
was  restrained,  uttered  a  loud,  mournful  howl.  This  cry 
sent  a  thrill  to  the  heart  of  Maximus,  for  it  immediately 
occurred  to  him  that  any  attempt  to  leave  the  cave 
stealthily  would  instantly  be  intimated  to  the  watchful  foe 
by  the  dog,  and  to  take  Chimo  with  them  was  impossible. 

"  The  dog  must  die,"  said  Old  Moggy,  who  divined  at 
once  what  was  passing  in  the  man's  mind. 

Maximus  shook  his  head,  sadly. 

"  I  cannot  kill  Chimo,"  he  said  to  Aneetka ;  ''  he  is 

Edith's  dog." 

25 


386  UNGAVA. 

Aneetka  made  no  reply,  for  she  felt  the  power  of  her 
husband's  objection  to  injure  the  dog  of  his  little  favorite ; 
yet  she  could  not  but  perceive  that  the  cry, — which  was 
invariably  repeated  when  any  of  the  party  moved  away 
from  the  animal, — would  betray  them  in  the  moment  of 
danger.  Nothing  further  was  said  for  some  time,  but 
Old  Moggy,  who  had  no  tender  reminiscences  or  feel 
ings  in  regard  to  the  dog,  proceeded  quietly  and  signifi 
cantly  to  construct  a  running-noose  on  the  stout  thong 
of  leather  that  encircled  her  waist  and  served  as  a 
sash. 

While  she  was  thus  engaged  the  sun's  last  rays  faded 
away  and  the  night  began  to  deepen  around  them.  To 
the  satisfaction  of  both  parties  the  sky  was  draped  with 
heavy  clouds,  which  gave  promise  of  a  night  of  intense 
darkness.  This  was  absolutely  essential  not  only  to  the 
Indians  but  to  Maximus,  who  had  at  length  formed  a 
plan  by  which  he  hoped  to  turn  the  dreaded  cry  of  the 
dog  to  good  account,  although  he  had  little  hope  of  sav 
ing  it  from  the  Indians  should  he  succeed  in  escaping 
with  the  women.  As  the  night  grew  darker  he  began 
to  put  this  plan  in  execution. 

Taking  his  station  at  the  entrance  of  the  cave,  he  took 
a  long  and  steady  aim  at  the  bow  of  the  canoe,  which 
could  now  be  only  seen  dimly.  Having  adjusted  the  gun 
to  his  satisfaction  he  marked  its  position  exactly  on  the 
rock,  so  that,  when  the  canoe  should  be  entirely  hid  from 
sight,  he  could  make  certain  of  hitting  any  object  directly 
in  front  of  it.  Then  he  ordered  Moggy  and  his  wife  to 
keep  moving  about  the  cave,  so  that  the  howling  of 
Chiino  should  be  kept  up  continually,  and  thus  not  ap 
pear  unusual  when  they  should  really  forsake  the  cave 
and  attempt  their  escape.  In  order  to  show  that  he  was 


UNGAVA.  387 

still  on  the  alert,  he  shortly  after  aimed  at  the  canoe, 
which  was  now  quite  invisible,  and  fired.  The  effect 
was  more  startling  than  had  been  expected.  A  death- 
cry  rent  the  air  and  mingled  with  the  reverberations  of 
the  shot,  proving  that  it  had  taken  deadly  effect  on  one 
of  the  Indians,  who,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  had 
ventured  to  approach  the  coveted  canoe.  A  volley  was 
instantly  fired  in  the  direction  of  the  cave  from  various 
parts  of  the  bushes,  but  without  effect. 

Maximus  now  kept  up  a  continued  fire,  sometimes 
discharging  a  succession  of  rapid  shots,  at  other  times 
firing  at  irregular  intervals  of  from  three  to  ten  minutes. 
This  he  did  purposely,  with  a  view  to  his  future  plans. 
In  the  mean  time  the  dog  was  made  to  keep  up  a  con 
tinuous  howl. 

"  Now,  Aneetka,"  said  Maximus,  as  the  ring  of  his  last 
shot  died  away,  "  go,  and  may  the  Great  Spirit  guide 
thee." 

Without  a  word  of  reply,  the  two  women  glided  noise 
lessly  like  shadows  into  the  thick  darkness.  About 
two  minutes  after  they  had  disappeared,  Maximus  again 
fired  several  shots,  taking  care,  however,  to  point  con 
siderably  to  the  right  of  the  canoe.  Then  he  ceased  for 
three  minutes,  and  again  fired  several  shots  irregularly. 
At  the  last  shot  he  passed  from  the  cave  so  silently  and 
quickly  that  even  Chimo  was  deceived,  and  snuffed  the 
air  for  a  moment  ere  it  renewed  its  sad  wailing.  In 
less  than  two  minutes  the  Esquimaux  had  glided,  with 
the  noiseless  tread  of  a  panther,  to  the  spot  where  the 
canoe  lay.  Here  he  found  his  wife  and  the  old  woman 
crouching  beside  it.  The  water's  edge  was  about  ten 
yards  distant.  A  few  seconds  would  suffice  to  lift  the 
light  bark  in  his  powerful  arms  and  launch  it.  Aneetka 


388  UNGAVA. 

and  the  old  woman,  who  had  already  received  minute  in 
structions  what  to  do,  had  glided  quietly  into  the  sea  the 
instant  Maximus  touched  them ;  for,  as  we  have  said, 
it  was  intensely  dark  and  they  could  not  see  a  yard 
before  them.  The  women  now  stood  up  to  the  knees 
in  water  with  their  paddles  in  their  hands  ready  to 
embark. 

Stooping  down,  the  Esquimaux  seized  the  canoe ;  but, 
just  as  he  was  about  to  lift  it,  he  observed  a  tall  dark 
object  close  to  his  side. 

"  Wah  !  "  whispered  the  Indian,  "  you  are  before  me. 
Quick  !  the  Esquimaux  dog  will  fire  again." 

The  words  of  the  Indian  were  cut  short  by  the  iron 
gripe  of  Maximus  on  his  throat ;  and,  the  next  instant, 
he  was  felled  by  a  blow  that  would  have  stunned  an  ox. 
So  decided  and  quick  was  the  action  that  it  was  not 
accompanied  by  more  noise  than  might  have  been  caused 
by  the  Indian  endeavoring  to  lift  the  canoe ;  so  that  his 
comrades  were  not  alarmed.  Next  moment  the  canoe 
was  in  the  water.  But  the  long  silence,  which  had  now 
been  unbroken  for  eight  or  ten  minutes,  except  by  the 
howling  of  Chimo  in  the  cave,  began  to  arouse  the  sus 
picion  of  the  red  men  ;  and  no  sooner  was  this  the  case 
than  they  glided  from  the  bushes  in  all  directions  with 
noiseless  tread.  In  a  second  or  two  the  body  of  their 
fallen  comrade  was  discovered,  and  a  yell  of  fury  rent 
the  air,  (for  concealment  was  now  unnecessary,)  while 
they  dashed  into  the  water  in  pursuit.  The  darkness 
favored  the  fugitives  for  a  few  seconds,  and  enabled  the 
women  to  embark ;  but  just  as  Maximus  was  about  to 
step  into  his  place,  Meestagoosh  seized  him  by  the 
throat ! 

Maximus  was  possessed  of  that  ready  presence  of  mind 


UNGAVA.  389 

and  prompt  energy  of  character  which  are  so  necessary 
to  a  warrior,  especially  to  him  who  wars  with  the  prowl 
ing  and  stealthy  savage.  Almost  in  the  same  instant  he 
gave  the  canoe  a  shove  that  sent  it  bounding  out  to  sea, 
and  raised  his  hand  to  catch  the  invisible  arm  which  he 
knew  must  be  descending  with  the  deadly  knife  towards 
his  heart.  He  succeeded  so  far  that,  although  he  did 
not  arrest  it,  he  turned  the  blow  aside,  receiving  only  a 
slight  wound  on  the  shoulder.  Ere  it  could  be  repeated, 
he  dealt  his  adversary  a  blow  on  the  forehead,  and 
hurled  him  back  insensible  into  the  water. 

The  Esquimaux  immediately  glided  out  into  deep 
water;  and  now,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  he  felt 
keenly  the  disadvantage  of  not  being  able  to  swim.  This 
is  an  art  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  icy  seas  have  never 
acquired  ;  owing  probably  to  the  shortness  of  the  season 
of  open  water,  and  the  intense  cold  of  the  ice-laden  seas, 
even  in  summer.  The  Indians,  on  the  contrary,  who  live 
beside  the  warm  lakes  and  rivers  of  the  interior,  are 
many  of  them  pretty  expert  swimmers.  Thus  it  happened 
that  Maximus  was  obliged  to  stand  up  to  his  neck  in  the 
water,  not  daring  to  move  or  utter  a  sound,  while  his  friends 
and  foes  alike  sought  in  vain  for  him  in  the  darkness. 

"While  he  stood  thus,  uncertain  how  to  act,  he  heard 
the  water  rippling  near  to  him,  and  distinguished  the  hard 
breathing  of  a  swimmer.  Soon  he  observed  a  dark 
head  making  straight  towards  him.  A  sarcastic  smile 
played  for  a  moment  on  the  face  of  the  gigantic  Esqui 
maux,  as  he  thought  of  the  ease  with  which  he  should 
crush  his  approaching  foe ;  and  his  hand  was  already 
raised  to  strike  when  it  was  arrested  by  a  low  whine,  and 
the  next  moment  Chimo  was  endeavoring  to  clamber 
upon  his  shoulder ! 


390  UNGAVA. 

It  instantly  occurred  to  Maximus  that  he  might  turn 
the  dog's  swimming  powers  to  good  account.  Seizing 
Chimo  by  the  flanks  with  both  hands,  he  turned  its  head 
out  to  sea,  and,  keeping  it  in  that  position,  was  dragged 
into  deep  water.  When  he  had  been  thus  conveyed  what 
appeared  to  be  about  fifty  yards,  he  uttered  a  low  cry. 
He  was  heard  by  the  Indians  as  well  as  by  those  in  the 
canoe,  but  the  latter  happened  to  be  nearer  to  the  spot, 
and  a  few  strokes  of  the  paddle  sent  them  alongside  of 
their  comrade,  who  quickly  caught  the  stern  of  the  bark. 
The  women  plied  their  paddles, — the  Esquimaux  gave  a 
shout  of  triumph  ;  and,  half  immersed  in  the  water,  was 
dragged  away  from  shore.  A  yell  of  anger,  and  soon 
after,  a  desultory  discharge  of  fire-arms,  told  that  the  In 
dians  had  given  up  the  chase. 

But  it  was  now  a  question  how  Maximus  was  to  be 
got  into  the  canoe.  The  frail  bark  was  so  crank  that  a 
much  lighter  weight  than  that  of  the  burly  Esquimaux 
would  have  upset  it  easily ;  and,  as  the  stern  was  sharp, 
there  was  no  possibility  of  climbing  over  it.  This  was  a 
matter  of  considerable  anxiety,  for  the  water  was  excess 
ively  cold,  being  laden  with  ice  out  at  sea.  While  in  this 
dilemma,  the  canoe  grated  on  a  rock,  and  it  was  discovered 
that  in  the  dark  they  had  well-nigh  run  against  a  low 
cape  that  jutted  far  out  from  the  land  at  this  part  of  the 
coast.  Here  Maximus  and  the  dog  landed,  and  while  the 
one  shook  its  wet  sides,  the  other  wrung  the  moisture 
from  his  garments ;  after  which  necessary  operation  he 
leaped,  with  his  canine  friend,  into  the  canoe,  and  they 
pushed  well  out  to  sea. 

When  daylight  returned,  they  were  far  beyond  the 
reach  of  their  Indian  enemies. 


UNGAVA.  391 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

HAPPY    MEETINGS    AND     JOTOUS     FEASTINGS— LOYE,    MARRIAGE, 
DESERTION,  DESOLATION,    AND   CONCLUSION. 

AFTER  the  escape  narrated  in  the  last  chapter,  the 
stout  Esquimaux  and  his  companions  travelled  in 
safety,  for  they  had  passed  the  country  of  the  Indians, 
and  were  now  near  the  lands  of  their  own  people. 

But  if  Maxim  us  had  not  now  to  fight  with  men,  he 
was  not  exempted  from  doing  fierce  battle  with  the  ele 
ments  of  these  inhospitable  climes.  For  hundreds  of 
miles  he  travelled  along  the  east  coast  of  Hudson's  Bay 
and  the  southern  shores  of  the  Straits,  now  driven  ashore 
by  the  storm,  anon  interrupted  by  drift-ice,  and  obliged 
to  carry  his  canoe  for  miles  and  miles  on  his  shoulders, 
while  the  faithful  Aneetka  trudged  by  his  side,  happy  as 
the  day  was  long;  for,  although  her  load  was  neces 
sarily  a  heavy  one,  her  love  for  Maximus  made  it  rest 
lighter  than  the  eider-down  that  floated  from  her  fingers 
when  she  plucked  the  wild  birds  for  their  evening  meal. 
Moggy,  too,  waddled  along  after  her  own  fashion,  with  a 
resolution  and  energy  that  said  much  for  her  strength  and 
constitution.  She  only  carried  the  light  paddles  and  a 
few  trifling  articles  that  did  not  incommode  her  much. 

During  the  spring  and  summer  and  autumn,  they  pur 
sued  their  arduous  journey,  living  from  hand  to  mouth 
on  the  produce  of  their  guns,  nets,  seal-spears,  and  fish 
ing-lines  ;  which  generally  supplied  them  with  enough  for 


392  UNGAVA. 

their  daily  wants,  sometimes  with  abundance,  but  not  un- 
frequently  with  just  sufficient  to  keep  them  alive.  Three 
or  four  times  they  met  with  Esquimaux,  and  rendered 
essential  service  to  them,  and  to  the  fur  traders,  by  tell 
ing  them  of  the  new  fort  at  Ungava,  recounting  the  .won 
ders  of  the  store  there,  and  assuring  them  that  the  chief 
desire  of  the  traders,  after  getting  their  furs,  was  to  do 
them  good,  and  bring  about  friendly  intercourse  between 
them  and  the  Indians. 

Late  in  the  autumn  the  three  voyageurs  drew  near  to 
Ungava  Bay  ;  and  in  passing  along  the  coast  opposite  to 
the  island  on  which  Edith  had  spent  the  winter,  they 
overtook  Annatock  and  his  whole  tribe,  with  a  flotilla 
of  oomiaks  and  kayaks,  on  their  way  to  the  same  place. 
At  the  mouth  of  the  bay  they  were  joined  by  the  Esqui 
maux  of  False  River,  who  were  carrying  supplies  of  seal- 
blubber  to  the  fort  for  the  use  of  the  dogs  in  winter,  and 
a  few  deer-skins  to  trade. 

It  was  a  bright  and  beautiful  autumn  afternoon  (a  rare 
blessing  in  that  dreary  clime)  when  they  passed  the  nar 
rows  of  the  river,  and  came  in  sight  of  Fort  Chimo. 

On  that  day  an  unusually  successful  deer-hunt  had 
taken  place,  and  the  fiddle  had,  as  Bryan  expressed  it, 
been  "  served  out "  to  the  men,  for  the  purpose  of  re 
joicing  their  hearts  with  sweet  sounds.  On  that  day  a 
small  band  of  Indians  had  arrived  with  a  rich  and  un 
usually  large  stock  of  furs,  among  which  there  were  one 
or  two  silver  foxes  and  a  choice  lot  of  superb  martens. 
This  tended  to  gladden  the  heart  of  Stanley  ;  and.  truly, 
he  needed  such  encouragement.  At  one  of  the  Com 
pany's  inland  trading  posts  such  a  bundle  of-furs  would 
have  been  received  as  a  matter  of  common  occurrence  ; 
but  it  was  otherwise  with  the  poverty-stricken  Ungava, 


UNGAVA.  393 

from  which  so  much  had  been  expected  before  its  dreary, 
barren  character  was  known. 

On  that  day,  too,  a  picturesque  iceberg  had  grounded 
near  the  fort  at  high  water ;  and  Frank  took  Edith  in  the 
small  canoe  to  paddle  her  among  its  peaked  and  fantastic 
fragments. 

"  You  will  be  steersman,  and  sit  in  the  stern,  Eda," 
said  Frank,  as  they  embarked.  "  I  will  stand  in  the  bows 
and  keep  you  clear  of  ice-tongues." 

"  How  beautiful !  "  exclaimed  the  delighted  child,  as 
their  light  craft  glided  in  and  out  among  the  icy  pinnacles 
which  overhung  them  in  some  places  as  they  passed. 
u  Don't  you  hear  a  strange  noise,  Frank  ?  " 

Truly  Frank  did  hear  a  strange  noise,  and  beheld  a 
strange  sight,  for  at  that  moment  the  Esquimaux  flotilla 
passed  the  narrows  and  swept  round  the  bay ;  while  the 
natives,  excited  by  their  unusual  numbers  and  the  unex 
pected  return  of  Maximus,  yelled  and  screamed,  and 
threw  about  their  arms  in  a  manner  that  defies  descrip 
tion  ! 

"  There  must  be  strangers  among  them,"  said  Frank, 
as  he  paddled  towards  the  shore  ;  "  they  are  too  numer 
ous  for  our  friends  of  False  River." 

"  That  seems  to  be  an  Indian  canoe  coming  on  ahead," 
remarked  Stanley,  who,  along  with  his  wife  and  most  of 
the  men,  had  hurried  to  the  beach  on  hearing  the  shouts 
of  the  approaching  multitude. 

"  Can  it  be  possible  ?  "  exclaimed  Frank,  as  the  canoe 
drew  near ;  "  does  it  not  look  like  Maximus — eh  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  o-o-o-oh  !  there's  Chimo !  "  screamed  Edith,  her 
eyes  dancing  with  mingled  amazement  and  delight. 

The  dog  in  his  anxiety  to  reach  the  shore  had  leaped 
into  the  water ;  but  he  had  miscalculated  his  powers  of 


394  UNGAVA. 

swimming,  for  the  canoe  instantly  darted  ahead.  How 
ever,  he  was  close  on  the  heels  of  Maximus. 

"  Give  him  a  chare,  boys,"  cried  Bryan,  as  he  ran  down 
to  the  beach  waving  a  large  hammer  round  his  head. 
"  Now  thin,  hooray !  " 

The  appeal  was  responded  to  with  heartfelt  energy  by 
the  whole  party,  as  their  old  comrade  sprang  from  the 
canoe,  and,  leaving  his  wife  to  look  after  herself,  ran 
toward  Stanley  and  Frank  and  grasped  them  warmly  by 
the  hands,  while  his  huge  face  beamed  with  emotion. 

"  I  hope  that's  your  wife  you've  brought  with  you, 
Maximus,"  said  Stanley. 

"  I  can  answer  for  that,"  said  Frank  ;  "  I  know  her 
pretty  face  well." 

"  Ah  !  le  poor  chien,"  cried  La  Roche,  "  it  vill  eat  Miss 
Edith,  I  ver'  much  b'lieve,  voila !  " 

This  seemed  not  unlikely,  for  the  joy  manifested  by 
poor  Chimo  at  the  sight  of  his  young  mistress  was  of  a 
most  outrageous  character,  insomuch  that  the  child  was 
nearly  overturned  by  the  dog's  caresses. 

"  Musha !  what  have  ye  got  there,  Maximus  ?  "  said 
Bryan,  who  had  been  gazing  for  some  time  past  in  solemn 
wonder  at  the  figure  of  Old  Moggy,  who,  regardless  of 
the  noise  and  excitement  around  her,  was  quietly  carry 
ing  the  goods  and  chattels  from  the  canoe  to  the  beach. 
"  Shure  ye've  found  yer  ould  grandmother.  She's  the 
mortial  parsonification  of  my  own  mother.  Faix  if  it 
wasn't  that  her  proboscis  is  a  taste  longer,  I'd  swear  it 
was  herself." 

At  this  point  Massan  stepped  forward  and  took  Maxi 
mus  by  the  arm. 

"  Come  along,  lad ;  there's  too  much  row  here  for  a 
comfortable  palaver ;  bring  your  wife  wi'  you.  Ye've 


UNGAVA.  395 

run  out  o'  baccy,  now  ?  Of  coorse  ye  have.  Come,  then, 
to  the  house ;  I'll  fill  yer  pipe  and  pouch  too,  boy.  See 
after  his  canoe,  La  Roche ;  and  bring  the  old  ooman, 
Bryan." 

"  Mind  yer  own  consarns  an'  let  yer  shupariors  pro 
ceed  ye,"  said  Bryan,  as  he  shoved  past,  and  tucking  Old 
Moggy's  arm  within  his  own,  marched  off  in  triumph  to 
the  fort. 

Meanwhile,  the  main  body  of  Esquimaux  had  landed, 
and  the  noise  and  confusion  on  the  shore  were  so  great 
that  scarcely  an  intelligible  sound  could  be  heard.  In 
the  midst  of  all  this,  and  while  yet  engaged  in  caressing 
Chimo,  Edith  felt  some  one  pluck  her  by  the  sleeve,  and 
on  looking  round,  she  beheld  the  smiling  faces  of  her  old 
friends  Arnalooa  and  Okatook.  Scarcely  had  she  be 
stowed  a  hearty  welcome  on  them,  when  she  was  startled 
by  an  ecstatic  yell  of  treble  laughter  close  to  her  ear,  and 
turning  quickly  round,  she  beheld  the  oily  visage  of 
Kaga  with  the  baby — the  baby — in  her  hood,  stark 
naked,  and  revelling  in  mirth  as  if  that  emotion  of  the 
mind  were  its  native  element — as  indeed  it  was,  if  taken 
in  connection  with  seal-fat. 

Scarcely  had  she  recovered  from  her  delight  at  this 
meeting,  when  she  was  again  startled  by  a  terrific  shout, 
and  immediately  after,  Peetoot  performed  a  violent  dance 
around  her,  expressive  of  unutterable  joy,  and  finished 
off  by  suddenly  seizing  her  in  his  arms,  after  which  he 
fled, — horrified  at  his  own  presumption. 

To  escape  from  this  scene  of  confusion  the  traders  re 
turned  to  the  fort,  having  directed  the  Esquimaux  to 
pitch  their  camp  on  the  point  below  ;  after  which  they 
were  to  assemble  in  the  yard,  for  the  double  purpose  of 
palavering  and  receiving  a  present  of  tobacco. 


UNGAVA. 

That  night  was  spent  by  the  inhabitants  of  Fort  Chimo 
in  rejoicing.  In  her  own  little  room  Edith  entertained 
a  select  tea  party,  composed  of  Arnalooa,  Okatook, 
Peetoot,  Chimo,  and  the  baby ;  and  really,  it  would  be 
difficult  to  say  which  of  them  made  most  noise  or  which 
behaved  most  obstreperously.  Upon  mature  consider 
ation  we  think  that  Chimo  behaved  best — but  that,  all 
things  considered,  is  not  saying  much  for  him.  We 
rather  think  the  baby  behaved  worst.  Its  oily  visage 
shone  again  like  a  lustrous  blob  of  fat,  and  its  dimples 
glided  about  the  surface  in  an  endless  game  of  hide-and- 
seek  !  As  for  Peetoot,  he  laughed  and  yelled  until  the 
tears  ran  over  his  cheeks,  and  more  than  once,  in  the 
excess  of  his  glee,  he  rubbed  noses  with  Chimo — a  piece 
of  familiarity  which  that  sagacious  animal  was  at  length 
induced  to  resent  and  put  a  stop  to  by  a  gentle  and  par 
tial  display  of  two  tremendous  rows  of  white  ivory. 

In  the  hall,  Stanley  held  a  levee  that  lasted  the  greater 
part  of  the  evening;  and  in  the  men's  house  a  ball  was 
got  up  in  honor  of  the  giant's  return  with  his  long  lost 
Aneetka. 

Ah !  reader,  although  the  countenances  of  the  men 
assembled  there  were  sunburnt  and  rough,  and  their 
garments  weather-worn  and  coarse,  and  their  language 
and  tones  unpolished,  think  not  that  their  hearts  were 
less  tender  or  sympathetic  than  the  hearts  of  those  who 
are  nurtured  in  softer  scenes  than  the  wilds  of  Ungava. 
Their  laugh  was  loud  and  uproarious,  it  is  true ;  but 
there  was  genuine,  heart-felt  reality  in  it.  Their  sym 
pathy  was  boisterously  expressed,  mayhap,  if  expressed 
at  all ;  but  it  was  truly  and  deeply  felt, — and  many  an 
unbidden  tear  glanced  from  the  bronzed  cheeks  of  these 
stalwart  men  of  the  north,  as  they  shook  their  gigantic 


TJNGAVA.  397 

comrade  by  the  hand  and  wished  him  joy,  and  kissed  his 
blooming  bride. 

Aneetka  had  long  since  laid  aside  her  native  garb,  and 
wore  the  more  graceful  and  womanly  costume  of  the 
Indian  women ;  and  Maximus  wore  the  capote  and 
leggins  of  the  voyageur ; — but  there  were  not  wanting 
gentlemen  from  the  camp  at  the  point,  whose  hairy  gar 
ments  and  hoods,  long  hair  and  beards,  did  honor  to  the 
race  of  the  Esquimaux ;  and  there  were  present  ladies 
from  the  same  place,  each  of  whom  could  a  tail  unfold 
that  would  have  been  the  admiration  and  envy  of  tad 
poles,  had  any  such  creatures  been  there  to  see  them. 
They  wore  boots  too,  to  which,  in  width  at  least,  those 
worn  by  fishermen  are  nothing.  Some  of  them  carried 
babies  in  their  hoods — little  naked  imps — whose  bodies 
and  heads  were  dumplings  (suet  dumplings,  we  may  add, 
for  the  information  of  the  curious),  and  whose  arms  and 
legs  were  sausages. 

Bryan  was  great  that  night — he  was  majestic !  The 
fiddle  all  but  spoke,  and  produced  a  sensation  of  dancing 
in  the  toes  of  even  those  who  happened  to  be  seated. 
Bryan  was  great  as  a  linguist,  too,  and  exhibited  his 
powers  in  this  respect  with  singular  felicity  in  the  vocal 
entertainment  that  followed  the  dancing.  The  Esqui 
maux  language  seemed  a  mere  trifle  to  him,  and  he  con 
versed,  while  playing  the  violin,  with  several  "purty 
craytures,"  in  their  native  tongue,  with  an  amount  of 
volubility  quite  surprising.  Certainly  it  cannot  be  said 
that  those  whom  he  addressed  expressed  much  intelli 
gence — but  Esquimaux  are  not  usually  found  to  be  quick 
in  their  perceptions.  Perchance  Bryan  was  metaphy 
sical  ! 

Mirth,  hearty,  real  mirth,  reigned  at  the  fort,  not  only 


398  UNGAVA. 

that  day,  but  for  many  a  day  afterwards ; — for  the  dan 
gers,  and  troubles,  and  anxieties,  of  the  first  year  were 
past ;  hope  in  the  future  was  strong,  despite  the  partial 
failures  that  had  been  experienced;  and,  through  the 
goodness  of  God,  all  those  who  composed  the  original 
band  of  the  "  forlorn-hope  "  were  reunited,  after  many 
weary  months  of  travel,  danger,  and  anxiety,  during  part 
of  which  a  dark  and  dreary  cloud  (now  happily  dispelled) 
had  settled  down  on  Fort  Chimo. 

***** 

Years  have  rolled  away  since  the  song  and  shout  of 
the  fur  trader  first  awakened  the  echoes  of  Ungava.  Its 
general  aspect  is  still  the  same,  for  there  is  no  change  in 
the  everlasting  hills.  In  summer  the  deer  still  wander 
down  the  dark  ravines  and  lave  their  flanks  in  the  river's 
swelling  tide ;  and  in  winter  the  frost-smoke  still  darkens 
the  air  and  broods  above  the  open  water  of  the  sea ;  but 
Fort  Chimo, — the  joy  and  wonder  of  the  Esquimaux  and 
the  hope  of  the  fur  trader, — is  gone,  and  a  green  patch 
of  herbage,  near  the  flat  rock  beside  the  spring,  alone 
remains  to  mark  the  spot  where  once  it  stood. 

In  the  course  of  time,  the  changes  that  took  place  in 
the  arrangements  of  the  Fur  Company  required  the  pre 
sence  of  Stanley  at  another  station,  and  he  left  Ungava 
with  his  wife  and  child.  The  gentleman  who  succeeded 
him  was  a  bold,  enterprising  Scotch  Highlander,  whose 
experience  in  the  fur  trade  and  energy  of  character  were 
a  sufficient  guarantee  that  the  best  and  the  utmost  would 
be  done  for  the  interests  of  the  Company  in  that  quarter. 
But,  however  resolute  a  'man  may  be,  he  cannot  make 
furs  of  hard  rocks,  nor  convert  a  scene  of  desolation  into 
a  source  of  wealth.  Vigorously  he  wrought  and  long  he 
suffered;  but  at  length  he  was  compelled  to  advise  the 


UNGAVA.  399 

abandonment  of  the  station.  The  Governor  of  the  Com 
pany, — a  man  of  extraordinary  energy  and  success  in 
developing  the  resources  of  the  sterile  domains  over 
which  he  ruled, — was  fain  to  admit  at  last  that  the  trade 
of  Ungava  would  not  pay.  The  order  to  retreat  was  as 
prompt  and  decisive  as  the  command  to  advance.  A 
vessel  was  sent  out  to  remove  the  goods  ;  and  in  a  brief 
space  of  time  Fort  Chimo  was  dismantled  and  deserted. 

The  Esquimaux  and  Indians  soon  tore  down  and 
appropriated  to  their  own  use  the  frames  of  the  buildings, 
and  such  of  the  materials  of  the  fort  as  had  been  left 
standing ;  and  the  few  remnants  that  were  deemed  worth 
less  were  finally  swept  away,  and  every  trace  of  them 
obliterated,  by  the  howling  storms  that  rage  almost  con 
tinually  around  these  desolate  mountains. 

And  now,  reader,  it  remains  for  me  to  dismiss  the 
characters  who  have  played  their  part  in  this  brief  tale. 
Of  most  of  them,  however,  I  have  but  little  to  say,  for 
they  are  still  alive,  scattered  far  and  wide  throughout  the 
vast  wilderness  of  Rupert's  Land,  each  acting  his  busy 
part  in  a  new  scene ;  for  it  is  frequently  the  fate  of  those 
who  enter  this  wild  and  stirring  service  to  be  associated 
for  a  brief  season  under  one  roof,  and  then  broken  up 
and  scattered  over  the  land,  never  again  to  be  reunited. 

George  Stanley,  after  a  long  sojourn  in  the  backwoods, 
retired  from  the  service,  and,  with  his  family,  proceeded 
to  Canada,  where  he  purchased  a  small  farm.  Here 
Edith  waxed  strong  and  beautiful,  and  committed  appall 
ing  havoc  among  the  hearts  of  the  young  men  for  thirty 
miles  around  her  father's  farm.  But  she  favored  no  one, 
and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  acquired  the  name  of  being 
the  coldest  as  well  as  the  most  beautiful  and  modest  girl 
in  the  far  west. 


400  UNGAVA. 

There  was  a  thin  young  man  with  weak  limbs  and  a 
tendency  to  fall  into  a  desponding  state  of  mind,  who 
lived  about  three  miles  from  Mr.  Stanley's  farm.  This 
young  man's  feelings  had  been  so  often  lacerated  by 
hopes  and  fears  in  reference  to  the  fair  Edith,  that  he 
mounted  his  pony  one  evening  in  desperation,  and  gal 
loped  away  in  hot  haste  to  declare  his  passion,  and  real 
ize  or  blast  his  hopes  forever.  As  he  approached  the 
villa,  however,  he  experienced  a  sensation  of  emptiness 
about  the  region  of  the  stomach,  and  regretted  that  he 
had  not  taken  more  food  at  dinner.  Having  passed  the 
garden  gate,  he  dismounted,  fastened  his  pony  to  a  tree, 
and  struck  across  the  shrubbery  towards  the  house  with 
trembling  steps.  As  he  proceeded,  he  received  a  terrific 
shock  by  observing  the  flutter  of  a  scarf,  which  he  knew 
intuitively  belonged  to  Edith.  The  scarf  disappeared 
within  a  bower  which  stood  not  more  than  twenty  yards 
distant  from  him,  close  beside  the  avenue  that  led  to  the 
house.  By  taking  two  steps  forward,  he  could  have  seen 
Edith,  as  .-lie  sat  in  the  bower,  gazing  with  a  pensive 
look  at  the  distant  prospect  of  hill  and  dale,  river  and 
lake,  in  the  midst  of  which  she  dwelt ;  but  the  young  man 
could  as  easily  have  leaped  over  Stanley's  villa,  farm  and 
all,  as  have  taken  these  two  steps.  He  assayed  to  do  so  ; 
but  he  was  rooted  to  the  ground  as  firmly  as  the  noble 
trees  under  which  he  stood.  At  length,  by  a  great  effort, 
he  managed  to  crawl — if  we  may  so  express  it — to  within 
a  few  yards  of  the  bower,  from  which  he  was  now  con 
cealed  only  by  a  few  bushes  ;  but  just  as  he  had  screwed 
up  his  soul  to  the  sticking  point,  and  had  shut  his  eyes 
preparatory  to  making  a  rush  and  flinging  himself  on  his 
knees  at  Edith's  feet,  he  was  struck  powerless  by  the 
sound  of  a  deep  sigh,  and  a  moment  after,  was  all  but  an 
nihilated  by  a  cough ! 


UXGAVA.  401 

Suddenly  the  sound  of  horse-hoofs  was  heard  clatter 
ing  up  the  avenue.  On  came  the  rider,  as  if  in  urgent 
haste.  In  a  few  seconds  a  curve  in  the  avenue  brought 
him  into  view.  He  was  a  man  of  handsome  and  massive 
proportions,  and  bestrode  a  black  charger  that  might 
have  carried  a  heavy  dragoon  like  a  feather.  A  wheel 
barrow  had  been  left  across  the  track,  over  which  the 
steed  went  with  an  easy  yet  heavy  bound,  betokening 
well-balanced  strength  and  weight ;  and  a  bright  smile 
lighted  up  the  rider's  bronzed  face  for  an  instant,  as  his 
straw  hat  blew  off  in  the  leap,  and  permitted  his  curling 
hair  to  stream  out  in  the  wind.  As  he  passed  the  bower 
at  a  swinging  gallop,  an  exclamation  of  surprise  from 
Edith  attracted  his  attention.  The  charger's  hoofs  spurned 
the  gravel  while  he  was  reined  up  so  violently  that  he 
was  thrown  on  his  haunches,  and  almost  before  the  thin 
young  man  could  wink  in  order  to  clear  his  vision,  this 
slashing  cavalier  sprang  to  the  ground  and  entered  the 
bower. 

There  was  a  faint  scream,  which  was  instantly  fol 
lowed  by  a  sound  so  peculiar  that  it  sent  a  thrill  of  dis 
may  to  the  cavity  in  which  the  heart  of  the  weak  young 
man  had  once  lodged.'  Stretching  out  his  hand,  he  turned 
aside  the  branches,  and  was  brought  to  the  climax  of 
consternation  by  beholding  Edith  in  the  arms  of  the  tall 
stranger  !  Bewildered  in  the  intellect,  and  effectually 
crippled  about  the  knees  and  ankles,  he  could  only  gaze 
and  listen. 

"  So  you  have  come — at  last !  "  whispered  Edith,  while- 
a  brilliant  blush  overspread  her  fair  cheek. 

"  Oh,  Edith ! "  murmured  the  stalwart  cavalier,  in  a 
deep,  musical  voice,  "  how  my  heart  has  yearned  for  this 
day  !  How  I  have  longed  to  hear  your  sweet  and  well- 

26 


402  UNGAVA. 

remembered  voice  !  In  the  desolate  solitudes  of  the  far 
north  I  have  thought  of  you.  Amid  the  silent  glades  of 
the  forest,  when  alone  and  asleep  on  my  mossy  couch,  or 
upon  my  bed  of  snow,  I  have  dreamed  of  you, — dreamed 
of  you  as  you  were,  a  fair,  sweet,  happy  child,  when  we 
wandered  together  among  the  mountains  of  Ungava, — 
and  dreamed  of  you  as  I  fancied  you  must  have  become, 
and  as  I  now  find  you  to  be.  Yes,  beloved  girl,  my  heart 
has  owned  but  one  image  since  we  parted,  years  ago,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Caneapusca  River.  Your  letters  have 
been  my  bosom  friends  in  all  my  long,  long  wanderings 
through  the  wilderness  ;  and  the  hope  of  seeing  you  has 
gladdened  my  heart  and  nerved  my  arm.  I  have  heard 
your  sighs  in  every  gentle  air  that  stirred  the  trees,  and 
your  merry  laugh  in  the  rippling  waters.  Even  in  the 
tempest's  roar  and  the  thundering  cataract  I  have  fancied 
that  I  heard  you  calling  for  assistance  ;  and  many  a  time 
and  oft  I  have  leaped  from  my  coucli  to  find  that  I  did 
but  dream.  But  they  were  pleasant  and  very  precious 
dreams  to  me.  Oh  Edith  !  I  have  remembered  you,  and 
thought  of  you,  and  loved  you,  through  months  and  years 
of  banishment !  And  now — " 

Again  was  heard  the  peculiar  sx>und  that  had  thrilled 
with  dismay  the  bosom  of  the  weak  young  man. 

"  Hallo  !  whence  came  this  charger  ?  "  shouted  a  hale, 
hearty  -voice,  as  Stanley  walked  towards  the  bower. 
-"  Eh !  what  have  we  here  ?  "  he  exclaimed,  rushing  for 
ward  and  seizing  the  stranger  in  his  arms, — "  Frank — 
Frank  Morton ! " 

This  was  too  much.  The  weak  young  man  suddenly 
became  strong  as  Hercules.  He  turned  and  fled  down 
the  avenue  like  a  deer.  The  pony,  having  managed  to 
unfasten  its  bridle,  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  way,  gazing 


UNGAVA.  403 

down  the  avenue  with  its  back  toward  its  master.  Un 
wonted  fire  nerved  the  youth's  limbs  ;  with  one  bound 
he  vaulted  leap-frog  over  the  animal's  back  into  the  sad 
dle,  dashed  his  spurs  into  its  sides,  and  fled  like  a  whirl 
wind  from  the  scene  of  his  despair. 

Frank  Morton  and  George  Stanley,  being  both  men 
of  promptitude  and  decision,  resolved  that  one  month  was 
long  enough  to  make  preparations  for  the  marriage ;  and 
Edith,  being  the  most  dutiful  daughter  that  ever  lived, 
did  what  she  was  bid. 

That  beautiful  cottage  which  stands  in  the  midst  of 
most  exquisite  scenery,  about  two  miles  from  Stanley's 
villa,  is  inhabited  by  Frank  Morton  and  his  family.  That 
crow  which  you  have  just  heard  proceed  from  the  nurs 
ery  was  uttered  by  the  youngest  of  five  ;  and  yonder  little 
boy  with  broad  shoulders,  who  thrusts  his  hands  into  his 
pockets  in  a  decided  manner,  and  whistles  vociferously 
as  he  swaggers  down  the  avenue,  is  Master  George  F. 
Morton,  on  his  way  to  school. 

La  Roche  and  Bryan  were  so  fortunate  as  to  be  ap 
pointed  to  the  same  establishment  after  leaving  Ungava, 
— somewhere  near  the  mouth  of  the  Mackenzie  River, 
and  within  the  region  of  all  but  perpetual  frost  and  snow. 
They  are  sometimes  visited  by  Esquimaux  ;  which  is  for 
tunate,  for,  as  Bryan  says,  "  it  guves  him  an  opportunity 
o'  studyin'  the  peecoolier  dialects  o'  their  lingo." 

Dick  Prince  was  the  only  one  who  lost  his  life  in  the 
"  forlorn-hope."  He  was  drowned  while  out  shooting  in 
the  bay  alone  in  his  canoe.  A  sudden  storm  upset  his 
frail  bark,  and  left  him  struggling  in  the  water.  Prince 
was  a  strong  swimmer,  and  he  battled  long  for  his  life ; 
but  the  ice-laden  sea  benumbed  his  hardy  limbs,  and 
he  sank  at  last,  without  a  cry  to  rise  no  more.  He  was  a 


404  UXGAVA. 

noble  specimen  of  his  class, — a  brave,  modest,  unobtru 
sive  son  of  the  forest,  beloved  and  respected  by  his  com 
panions  ;  and  when  his  warm  heart  ceased  to  beat,  it  was 
felt  by  all  that  a  bright  star  of  the  wilderness  had  been 
quenched  forever.  His  body  was  found  next  day  on  the 
beach  and  was  interred  by  his  mourning  comrades  in  a 
a  little  spot  of  ground  behind  the  fort.  It  was  many  a 
long  day  after  this  melancholy  event  ere  Massan  could 
smile ;  and  when  the  fort  was  finally  deserted,  he  put 
in  practice  his  long-meditated  intention  of  becoming  a 
hunter  and  taking  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  ;  where  he 
wanders  now,  if  he  has  escaped  the  claws  of  the  dreaded 
grisly  bear,  and  the  scalping-knife  of  the  Ked  Indian. 

Moses,  finding  the  life  of  a  fur  trader  not  quite  to  his 
taste,  rejoined  his  countrymen,  and  reverted  to  killing 
seals  and  eating  raw  blubber.  The  two  Indians  also  re 
turned  to  a  purely  savage  life,  which,  indeed,  they  had 
only  forsaken  for  a  time.  Augustus  and  Oolibuck  died  ; 
and  the  latter  left  a  son  who  has  already  rendered  good 
service  as  interpreter  to  the  arctic  expeditions  as  his 
worthy  father  did  before  him.  Franjois  and  Gaspard 
are  still  together  at  one  of  the  posts  of  the  interior. 
They  are  now  fast  friends,  and  have  many  a  talk  over 
the  days  when  they  quarrelled  and  messed  together  at 
Fort  Chimo. 

As  for  the  poor  Esquimaux,  they  were,  for  a  time, 
quite  inconsolable  at  the  departure  of  the  fur  traders, 
and  with  a  species  of  childlike  simplicity,  hung  about 
the  bay,  in  the  hope  that  they  might,  after  all,  return. 
Then  they  went  off  in  a  body  to  the  westward  ;  and  the 
region  of  Ungava,  to  which  they  had  never  been  partial, 
was  left  in  its  original  dreary  solitude.  It  may  be  that 
some  good  had  been  done  to  the  souls  of  these  poor  na- 


UNGAVA.  405 

lives  during  their  brief  intercourse  with  the  traders. 
AYe  cannot  tell ;  and  we  refrain  from  guessing  or  specu 
lating  on  a  subject  so  serious.  But  of  this  we  are  as 
sured, — if  one  grain  of  the  good  seed  has  been  sown,  it 
may  long  lie  dormant,  but  it  cannot  die. 

Maximus  accompanied  his  countrymen,  along  with 
Aneetka  and  Old  Moggy,  who  soon  assumed  the  native 
costume,  and  completely  identified  herself  with  the  Es 
quimaux.  Maximus  was  now  a  great  man  among  his 
people,  who  regarded  with  deep  respect  the  man  who 
had  travelled  through  the  lands  of  the  Indians,  had 
fought  with  the  red  man  single-handed,  and  had  visited 
the  fur  traders  of  the  south.  But  the  travelled  Esqui 
maux  was  in  reality  a  greater  man  than  his  fellows  sup 
posed  him  to  be.  lie  fully  appreciated  the  advantages 
to  be  derived  from  a  trading-post  near  their  ice-girt 
lands,  and  resolved,  when  opportunity  should  offer,  to  do 
all  in  his  power  to  strengthen  the  friendship  now  subsist 
ing  between  the  Indians  and  the  Esquimaux  of  Ungava, 
and  to  induce  his  countrymen,  if  possible,  to  travel  south 
towards  the  establishment  on  James's  Bay. 

lie  still  retains,  however,  a  lingering  affection  for  the 
spot  where  he  had  spent  so  many  happy  days,  and  at  least 
once  a  year  he  undertakes  a  solitary  journey  to  the  rug 
ged  mountains  that  encircled  Fort  Chimo.  As  in  days 
of  yore,  with  wallet  on  shoulder  and  seal-spear  in  hand, 
the  giant  strides  from  rock  to  rock  along  the  now  silent 
banks  of  the  Caneapusca  River.  Once  again  he  seats 
himself  on  the  flat  rock  beside  the  spring,  and  gazes 
round  in  sadness  on  those  wild,  majestic  hills,  or  bends 
his  eye  upon  the  bright  green  spot  that  indicates  the  an 
cient  site  of  the  trading-post,  not  a  vestige  of  which  is 
now  visible,  save  the  little  wooden  cross  that  marks  the 


406  UNGAVA. 

lonely  grave  of  Dick  Prince ;  and  the  broad  chest  of 
the  giant  heaves  with  emotion  as  he  views  these  records 
of  the  past,  and  calls  to  mind  the  merry  shouts  and  joy 
ous  songs  that  used  to  gladden  that  dreary  spot,  the  warm 
hearth  at  which  he  was  wont  to  find  a  hearty  welcome, 
and  the  kind  comrades  who  are  now  gone  forever.  Un- 
gava  spreads,  in  all  its  dark  sterility,  around  him,  as  it 
did  in  the  days  before  the  traders  landed  there  ;  and  that 
bright  interval  of  busy  life,  in  which  he  had  acted  so 
prominent  a  part,  seems  now  but  the  fleeting  fancy  of  a 
bright  and  pleasant  dream. 


THE    END. 
V 


-£5873- 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A     000  821  505     5 


